Achari Murgh ~ Chicken in Pickling Spices

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Want really spicy and flavorful and finger licking good chicken? then, this recipe is the one you are looking for. I saw a recipe for Achar Gosht ( Mutton in Pickling Spices) in A Taste of India by Madhur Jaffrey and loved all the spices that go into it. I did not have any lamb/mutton in hand, but as always there was some chicken in the freezer. I kept the chicken breasts out to defrost and finished off some chores I had around the house. As i started making, I experimented with a whole bunch of other different spices that I have previously used in making pickles (this is the Indian style spicy hot pickles I am talking about with cayenne pepper and lots of other spices and oil) and also in making chicken curry at home. So, this recipe is based on the original recipe – a recipe from Bhopal by Madhur Jaffrey but with a lot of modifications from me. Hope you all enjoy it, like how my meat-a-holic did!
A word of caution : It is REALLY hot and spicy! So those with less tolerance for heat, start with spices about less than half of what is given here and work your way up from that.

Achari Murgh
Adapted from A Taste of India by Madhur Jaffrey

3 – 4 chicken breasts, cut into cubes 1/2 red onion, chopped 3 tbsp canola oil 2 tbsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder salt to taste 2-3 tbsp lemon juice To grind to a paste 5 –6 red pearl onions 2 tbsp grated ginger 5 cloves garlic To be crushed 1 bay leaf, crumbled 2 green cardamom pods 1” cinnamon stick 4 whole cloves 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp black peppercorns 1/2 tsp white poppy seeds 6 whole green Thai chillies To be stuffed into the chillies 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp nigella seeds 1 tsp yellow mustard powder 1/2 tsp black salt

In a food processor, blend the onions, garlic and ginger to a fine paste with some water (2-3tbsp) and keep aside. Crush the “to be crushed” spices, so that they are just about broken down with a mortar and pestle and keep aside. Cut slits in the green chillies just in the center staying away from the top and the bottom. If you want to reduce the heat of the dish, you can try and remove as many seeds from the chillies as possible. Stuff the chillies with the “to be stuffed into the chillies” spices.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium to medium-high heat and add the crushed spices into it. Stir for a few seconds and then add the ground paste. Sauté for a few minutes and add the chopped onions to it. Fry for about 10 mins or so, till they turn brown. Add the coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. You can omit the red chilli powder at this stage, if you want, to reduce the heat even further. Stir well and add the chicken pieces to it. Combine well, cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Let it cook for 20 mins or so. Keep checking in between to see nothing is sticking to the pan. Give it a stir too. Once the chicken is cooked, add the stuffed green chillies, salt and the lemon juice and stir well. Let it cook uncovered for about 10 mins.
Serve hot with rice or rotis/chapatis/naans and some cool yogurt on the side.