Chicken Dopiaza, A curry with lots of Onions
2015-02-13- Cuisine: Indian
- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Yield : 1 Kg
- Servings : 4
- Prep Time : 30m
- Cook Time : 30m
- Ready In : 60m
In Persian “Dopiaza” literally translates to having two onions but the amount of onions used for a typical Dopiaza dish is much more than two. Chicken Dopiaza is called thus because onions are added at two stages during the cooking process. Additionally, fried onions are also used at the last stage and as a garnish in the dish.
Dopiaza originated in India, and is served in most Indian restaurants. Most people don’t try to cook it thinking it to be a complex dish but it is very simple to make it at home. I have taken the basic recipe for this Chicken Dopiaza dish from a very old recipe book that I have and have given it my own touch by modifying it a bit.
Dopiaza can be made using most meats, so you have chicken dopiaza, mutton dopiaza or beef dopiaza. Using Jackfruit (Kathal) instead of meat will result into a dish just as tasty.
Trivia
According to the legend the dish was created when a courtier of Mughal emperor Akbar Mullah Do Piaza accidentally added a large quantity of onions to a dish. The dish evolved further in Hyderabad, India, and became a staple of Hyderabadi cuisine.
The simple recipe for Dopiaza is made up of chicken or meat, onions, ginger and garlic paste, whole hot spices (black cardamoms, cloves and peppercorns), salt and chili powder. The dish usually contains a meat, usually Beef, chicken, Lamb, mutton, or shrimp; however, it can also be prepared in a vegetarian style
Source: Wikipedia
Chicken Dopyaza
Ingredients
- Chicken 1 Kg
- Onions 12 medium sized
- Potatoes 2 large
- Red Chilli Powder 1 Tsp
- Yoghurt 1/2 Cup
- Garlic cloves, 8 finely chopped
- Bay leaves 2
- Ginger grated, and pureed 2 Tbsp
- Cinnamon stick 2
- Cardamoms 5
- Peppercorns 15-17
- Cloves 8
- Red Chillies 2 whole
- Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
- Tomatoes chopped 5
- Oil 75 ml
- Sugar 1/2 Tsp
- Garam masala powder 1 Tsp
- Salt to taste
Method
Step 1
Cut the chicken on the bone and keep it aside. Slice 4 onions and deep fry them. Keep aside. Grate 4 onions, squeeze the juice out and keep both the grated onion and it's juice separately. Cut the remaining 4 onions in half and keep aside.
Step 2
Peel the potatoes, cut them in cubes and keep aside. Whisk the yoghurt. Mix the coriander powder and chilli powder together with about a Tbsp of water and keep aside.
Step 3
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and whole red chillies. Fry for about 30 seconds. Add the grated onions (minus the juice) and garlic and fry till the raw smell goes away.
Step 4
After 30 seconds, add the ginger puree, chilli and coriander powder paste (in water) and stir continuously.
Step 5
Add the chicken and fry for about 2 minutes. Add potatoes and tomatoes, followed by the yoghurt and sugar. Cook for 10-12 minutes,stirring so that the spices do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep covering the pan intermittently so that the spices penetrate chicken. This is the most important step. Remember that spices should not stick to the bottom of the pan and when you are done, some oil will be visible in the masala. By this time Chicken would be half cooked as well.
Step 6
Now add the onion juice followed by the onion halves. Cover and cook on low fire till the chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Finally add garam masala and half the fried onions and mix well.
Step 7
Garnish with the remaining fried onions and serve hot.
Serving Suggestion
Chicken Dopiaza teams up best with butter nan or parathas.
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posted by Valerian.f.patrao on April 30, 2016
Good make food in home very nice. Tks.
posted by Stephen Lewendon on March 11, 2016
I’m going to try this method, sounds delicious