Chicken Ghee Roast

Rinse the chicken pieces thoroughly and place them in a sieve or strainer to remove excess water.

Dry roast the Kashmiri red chillies, dry red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon stick until fragrant over low-medium heat. Allow the roasted spices to cool, then grind them into a fine powder.

Marinate the chicken pieces with the ground spices, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice, yogurt, salt and ghee. Prick the chicken with a knife or fork. Let it rest for at least 1-2 hours, or preferably overnight for the flavours to absorb into the chicken.

Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or wok over medium-high heat.

Add black mustard seeds and let them splutter.

Add the finely chopped onions and curry leaves, sauteing until the onions turn a golden brown colour.

Add the marinated chicken to the wok, mix well and cook for a few minutes. Simmer, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is halfway done.

Add jaggery powder (gur) to the wok, mix and continue cooking until the chicken is well-cooked and the ghee starts to separate.

Garnish the dish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, naan or rice.