Chicken Moghlai

1. Prepare the chicken

Skin, quarter, and dry the chicken pieces.

2. Make the onion-ginger-garlic paste

In a blender, combine the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of water. Blend until smooth.

3. Fry the sliced onions

Heat 8 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a 10-inch heavy-bottomed pot. When hot, add the thinly sliced onions and fry until dark brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Brown the chicken

Using the same oil, brown the chicken pieces. Do not overcook; just achieve a golden color.

5. Fry the whole spices

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pot. Once hot, add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, slightly crushed cardamom pods, whole cloves, and cumin seeds. Fry for a few seconds until aromatic.

6. Fry the paste

Add the blended onion-ginger-garlic paste to the pot and fry for about 10 minutes until aromatic and slightly thick.

7. Add ground spices

Stir in the ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Fry for about a minute.

8. Add yogurt and tomato sauce

Gradually add the yogurt, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Then, pour in the tomato sauce and mix well.

9. Cook the chicken

Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Add salt and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

10. Soak the saffron

Soak the roasted and crumbled saffron in 1 tablespoon of warm milk for 20-30 minutes.

11. Finish the dish

After the chicken has simmered for 30 minutes, add the browned onions and saffron milk. Simmer for another 5 minutes.