Murgh Musallam (Chicken Curry)

Directions

Clean and joint chicken.

If you don't like the skin, remove it.

Mash the ginger into a paste (or chop finely) and mince the garlic.

Heat oil in a large frying pan.

Use "medium-high heat".

Break apart the star anise to release the seeds inside the arms.

To the frypan, add onions, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, star aniseed, peppercorns, cloves, garlic and ginger.

Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Sauté until the onions are cooked but not browned.

Add the chicken, turmeric and chili powder and cook on a medium heat, stirring often.

When the oil starts to separate (the gravy will have oil floating on its surface), add the yogurt and cook until the chicken is done and the gravy is thick.

Finally, add the fresh coriander leaves.

This is the basic recipe.

Try varying the whole spice combinations until you find a favorite.

The recipe doubles well.

NOTES: * Chicken curry -- This recipe is the real thing.

Throw out your curry powder: you'll never use it again once you've tried this recipe.

• A cardamom pod is not the same thing as a cardamom seed.

Make sure you get the pods.

A pod is about the size of a pea and contains seeds inside it.

Don't substitute the ground version of any of the whole spices, the effect will not be the same.

And don't use white cardamom pods.

• You may want to remove the smaller whole spices prior to adding the yogurt so that unwitting guests don't eat them.

Try the recommended quantity of garlic.

The flavour is surprisingly subtle.

More yogurt makes more gravy.

Also a longer cooking time.

Vary the amount of chilies to suit your taste.

This recipe is medium-hot.