Dahi Aloo Chicken Salan (Potato Chicken Curry)
Blog: cookingwithnelo.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500 g) potatoes - skin on. I prefer red potatoes (Note A)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns - sabut kali mirch
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds - aka safaid zeera
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon - aka dalchini
- 3 cloves - aka laung
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste - divided
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste - divided
- 12-15 fresh curry leaves - (Note B)
- 1 pound (500 g) bone-in chicken pieces - skinless (Note C)
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 2.5 cups water - divided
- 2-4 small green chilies - adjust quantity to heat preference
- 1 cup (250 g) sour yogurt - the more sour, the better
- 1 pinch yellow food color - optional
- some chopped fresh cilantro - aka coriander/dhaniya, for garnishing
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes with the skin on for 15-20 minutes, or until a fork/knife easily goes through them. Drain the water, let the potatoes cool slightly, then peel and cut them into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
- Next, divide these cut potatoes into two portions. Set aside about ¼ of the quantity to make a creamy base for the curry. Keep the remaining ¾ of the quantity in a separate bowl; these pieces will go straight into the curry.
- Heat cooking oil in a pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add the black peppercorns, whole cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Sauté for a minute.
- Add 1 teaspoons of ginger paste and 1 teaspoons of garlic paste (reserve the remaining amounts for later). Sauté the pastes for a minute. Add the curry leaves and let them splutter for a few seconds.
- Add the chicken pieces and salt. Stir and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Pour in 1 cup water, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and let the chicken fully cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, add the ¼ portion of boiled potatoes you set aside earlier. You can cut them into smaller pieces if it helps with blending. Also add the green chilies, yogurt, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of garlic paste and 1 teaspoon of ginger paste. Blend until completely pureed. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a small amount of water, but just enough to keep things moving. Don’t make the paste too runny.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, put the blended potato-yogurt paste into the pot/pan. Also add the remaining 1.5 cups water and the remaining ¾ portion of boiled potato halves/quarters to the curry.
- Turn the heat up to medium, stir continuously, and bring the curry to a boil. It's important to keep stirring to prevent the curry from curdling. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat to low. You can stop stirring at this stage. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. If the consistency is too thick for your liking, add a bit more water. And if you prefer it a bit more spicy, add some finely chopped green chilies.
- Add a pinch of yellow food color to the curry and mix well (this step is optional).
- Let the curry simmer gently for another 10-12 minutes to let the flavors meld. Make sure the potatoes are completely cooked. Then, turn off the heat.
- Top with finely chopped cilantro (coriander) and enjoy with steamed rice or roti/chapati.
Notes
Note A: Potatoes – Avoid russet potatoes, they go mushy. I usually go with red ones.
Note B: Curry leaves – Fresh curry leaves are great, but dried ones work too. That said, I’ve only ever used the ones I dried myself. Store-bought dried curry leaves tend to be way less flavorful.
Note C: Chicken – This salan tastes best with bone-in chicken because the bones add a lot of flavor. But if you prefer boneless, go for skinless chicken thighs and cut them up to your preferred size. Breasts might end up too dry.