
Old Delhi Chicken
A rich chicken curry with a tangy yoghurt marinade and a slow-cooked tomato-cream sauce, scented with whole spices and finished with fresh coriander and ginger.
Marinade spices
47 gStirred into the yoghurt marinade (step 2)Whole spices for the oil
5 gAdded to the hot oil at the start of the sauce (step 4)Sauce aromatics
74 gAdded after the whole spices (step 5)Finishing spices
38 gStirred in after the cream and butter (step 7)Everything else
Method
- Hang 300 g greek yoghurt in muslin over a bowl for 1 hour without stirring it.
- Put the hung yoghurt in a bowl. Add 40.5 g mustard oil, 11 g sea salt and the marinade spices. Stir to combine. Add 800 g chicken thigh pieces and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.
- Heat 27 g vegetable oil and 81 g mustard oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the whole spices for the oil and let them infuse for 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce aromatics and 12 g green chilli, split down the middle. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, add 1000 g plum tomato purée, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until reduced by one-third and the oil separates.
- Remove the whole spices. Add 199 g double cream, 250 g unsalted butter and the finishing spices. Stir.
- Season to taste with caster sugar and sea salt. Keep the sauce simmering.
- Sear the marinated chicken in a hot pan for about 15 minutes, until just cooked through.
- Add the chicken to the sauce and mix. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Before serving, drizzle with extra double cream and top with 30 g micro coriander cress and 10 g fresh ginger root, cut into fine strips.
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Chicken thigh

Boneless chicken thighUse the same weight if boneless is needed; cooks 5–10 minutes faster than bone-in. Juicy and forgiving.
Chicken legUse the same weight; bone-in and larger, so add 5–10 minutes. Similar richness.
Chicken breastUse the same weight; much leaner and drier, so reduce cooking time by 5–10 minutes and do not overcook.

Micro coriander cress

Coriander cressUse the same weight; it is the nearest cress-like herb. Add raw at the end.
Coriander microgreenUse the same weight; flavour is similar. Chop only if the recipe needs it.
Coriander leafUse 60–70% of the weight; stronger flavour. Chop and add late.

Fresh ginger

Ginger pasteUse equal weight. Sauté in hot fat until the raw allium smell disappears; slightly wetter, but provides identical warmth and pungency.
Ground gingerUse 20% to 25% of the weight (1 g for every 4 to 5 g fresh). Stir into the gravy; adds peppery heat and warmth, though it misses the crisp, zesty kick of raw root.

Greek yoghurt

Hung natural yoghurtUse the same weight and whisk smooth; same thick consistency.
Full-fat natural yoghurtUse 1.25 times the weight and strain through muslin for 30 minutes; looser if not strained.
Hung yogurtUse the same weight; virtually identical.

Mustard oil

Peanut oilUse equal weight. It handles high-heat cooking well, but lacks the signature pungent, nasal heat of mustard oil.
Vegetable oilUse equal weight. Neutral in flavour, so your curry will lack the characteristic Bengali or North Indian pungent punch.

Ginger garlic paste

Ginger and garlic pasteUse the same weight; the difference is only the order of the names.
Garlic pasteMix with an equal weight of ginger paste and use the same total weight.
GarlicFor 20 g paste use about 10 g crushed garlic and 10 g grated ginger root with a splash of water. Add a little extra water if the dish looks dry.

Ground turmeric

Ground gingerUse 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.
SaffronSteep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Kashmiri chilli powder

Dried kashmiri chilliGrind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.
Red chilli powderUse 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.
Chilli powderUse one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Vegetable oil

Peanut oilUse 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.
GheeUse 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.
Mustard oilUse 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Green cardamom pod

Green cardamom seedUse 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.
Ground green cardamomUse 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.
White cardamom podUse 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Black cardamom pod

Ground black cardamomUse 0.5 g of ground seeds for each whole pod. Stir directly into the curry base; delivers identical smoky flavour without woody husks.
Green cardamom podUse equal pod count or weight. Crack slightly and fry whole; tastes sweet, menthol-fresh, and floral rather than dark and smoky.

Clove

Ground clovesUse 1 g ground for 4 g whole (or 1 small pinch per 2 to 3 whole cloves). Add with spice powders; disperses intense warmth quickly, so use with restraint.
Allspice berriesUse 100% of the weight whole in tempering. Imparts a warm, clove-like aromatic profile combined with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Black cardamom podUse 1 pod for 3 to 4 cloves in whole tempering. Shares a camphor-like warmth and medicinal depth, though it introduces a distinct smoky undertone.

Indian bay leaf

Bay leafUse the same number or weight. Ordinary bay is milder and lacks the cinnamon-clove note; add early and remove before serving.
Cassia bark (Chinese cinnamon)Use about 1 g cassia for every 2 g Indian bay leaf. It gives a warm cinnamon note but not a true laurel flavour; remove before serving.
Cinnamon stickUse a small 1 cm piece for 2 leaves. It adds warm sweetness but not bay flavour; remove before serving.

Kashmiri red chilli powder

Kashmiri chilli powderUse the same weight; same mild heat and colour. Stir into oil briefly so it does not burn.
PaprikaUse the same weight; milder and slightly less vivid. Good for colour, add a pinch of red chilli powder for heat.
Red chilli powderUse 30–50% of the weight and make up with paprika; much hotter. Add gradually and taste.

Green chilli

Chilli powderUse 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.
Dried red chilliUse 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Plum tomato

TomatoUse the same weight; ordinary tomatoes are softer, so deseed if the dish looks watery.
Large tomatoUse the same weight; cut out the watery core and cook a little longer.
Cherry tomatoUse the same weight and halve; sweeter, so reduce any added sugar.

Double cream

Heavy creamUse the same weight; whips and cooks almost identically.
Single creamUse the same weight in cooking, but it will not whip; reduce other liquid slightly.
Clotted creamUse 80% of the weight; richer and thicker, good for serving but not for whipping.

Unsalted butter


Garam masala

Ground cuminUse 50% of the weight mixed with equal parts ground coriander and a pinch of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground green cardamom. Sprinkle near the end for a warming finish.
Lentil stew spice mixUse 75% of the weight. Simmer briefly in the gravy; imparts roasted warmth and complexity, though it adds a slight tang and earthy lentil undertone.

Dried fenugreek leaf

Dried fenugreek leavesUse the same weight, crush between your palms before adding. This is effectively the same ingredient.
Fresh fenugreek leavesUse about 4 times the weight, add later in cooking. Milder and leafier; less of the dried maple-hay aroma.
Ground dried fenugreek leafUse the same weight and stir in early. Same flavour but no visible leaf specks.

Caster sugar

Granulated sugarUse the same weight. It is slightly coarser, so stir a little longer to dissolve; in baking, grind briefly if a fine texture matters.
Demerara sugarUse the same weight, but dissolve it earlier as it is coarser. It adds a light caramel note and a little colour.
Ground jaggery or soft brown sugarUse the same weight; crush or grate jaggery first. It darkens the dish and adds molasses flavour, so reduce other liquid slightly.
Similar dishes

- Same: Punjabi Handi Murgh shares chicken, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, ginger, cardamom and garam masala with this dish.
- Different: Punjabi Handi Murgh uses ghee, fried onions, tomato, water and bone-in chicken, while this dish uses yoghurt, mustard oil, tomato-cream sauce, butter, dried fenugreek and chicken thigh.

- Same: Keralan Fried Chicken and this dish both use chicken thigh, Greek yoghurt, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground turmeric and green chilli in a spiced yoghurt marinade.
- Different: Keralan Fried Chicken is boneless thigh coated in flour and cornstarch and deep-fried in vegetable oil, served with pickled daikon, fried curry leaves and curry leaf mayonnaise, while this dish is a slow-cooked curry with tomato, double cream, butter, mustard oil, whole cardamom, clove, bay leaf and dried fenugreek.

- Same: Aslam Butter Chicken and this dish both use chicken thigh, a yoghurt marinade, green cardamom, clove, Kashmiri chilli, dried fenugreek, ginger, garlic, cream and butter.
- Different: Aslam Butter Chicken adds malt vinegar, chaat masala, black salt, coal smoking, ghee, coriander seeds, cumin, mace and cinnamon, and it lacks this dish's plum tomatoes, mustard oil, black cardamom, bay leaf, green chilli and micro coriander cress.

- Same: Tandoori Chicken Tikka shares chicken thigh, Greek yoghurt, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaf and ginger with this dish. Both use a spiced yoghurt marinade on chicken.
- Different: Tandoori Chicken Tikka is bite-size and grilled until charred, while this dish is a slow-cooked curry with plum tomatoes, double cream, unsalted butter, mustard oil, green chilli and whole spices such as cardamom, clove and bay leaf. Tandoori Chicken Tikka adds lime, chaat masala, chickpea flour, saffron and cinnamon, and lacks this dish's tomato-cream sauce.












































