Pakistani Ginger Chicken
Blog: cookingwithnelo.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup regular cooking oil
- 2.5 inch piece of ginger - grab a thick piece, finely julienned (Note A)
- 3 small green chilies - chopped, I use Thai chilies, adjust to taste ⓘ
- 4 medium (400 g) tomatoes - finely chopped (Note B)
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 pound (500 g) chicken - boneless, skinless, cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Bone-in works too
- 1 teaspoon regular white salt - aka table salt
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder - adjust to taste ⓘ
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder - aka haldi
- 1.5 teaspoons roasted and crushed cumin - aka zeera
- ¼ cup (60 g) yogurt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro - aka coriander/dhaniya
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat, or medium if your burner runs hot, in a wide wok/pot. Add julienned ginger (reserve some for garnishing) and chopped green chilies. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the ginger shrinks a bit and starts releasing its aroma.
- Then add chopped tomatoes and garlic paste and cook until the liquid reduces and the oil starts to separate.
- Add chicken, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and crushed cumin. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Whisk yogurt and milk together until smooth, and add the mixture to the wok/pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat just enough to maintain a very gentle simmer. Let the chicken cook through completely. Stir occasionally.
- If the consistency needs adjusting, add a splash of water to thin it out or let it simmer uncovered longer to thicken.
- Mix in lemon juice and garnish with reserved ginger and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Enjoy with hot naan or roti.
Notes
Note A: Ginger – The amount of ginger is much more than what’s commonly used in a desi recipe, but trust the process. The end result is a warm, gingery flavor without being sharp or pungent. Ginger paste is not a substitute. Fresh ginger is the star ingredient, and the recipe just won’t turn out the way it’s meant to with paste.
Note B: Tomatoes – I use Roma tomatoes. Make sure your tomatoes are ripe and deep red for the best flavor. If they’re not quite there yet, I’d add a teaspoon or two of tomato paste (not puree) to give the flavor a little boost.