Murg Patiala ( Chicken in creamy cashew & poppy seeds gravy)

Indian food has this peculiar thing about being associated and named on famous people ( read aristocracy) and places. I'm a little skeptical though on whether these people ever tasted the foods named after them or did the places ever see the dishes :) It's more rampant with the mushrooming restaurants that name these dishes after exotic places to differentiate themselves from competition and create that royal ambiance on the menu.
Patiala is one such place. In pre-independence era it was a huge princely state and hub of many activities. Murg Patiala though has many variations like tandoori murg patiala or sharabi murg patiala, I prefer this one for its simplicity to cook and the gravy is mind blowing.
There is though another thing that Patiala is more known for in the food and beverage arena ...the Patiala Peg. A Patiala peg is a double of a normal serving of Whisky, but these days any unusually large peg is called Patiala Peg. The reason it was named so was due to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala who was a heavy drinker apart from other things and once made double pegs for an opposition so that they are groggy for a match the next day.You can read the entire story here.

Murg Patiala

Ingredients :
Chicken - 500 gm
Poppy Seeds (Khus) - 3 Tblsp
Melon Seeds - 3 Tblsp
Cashews - 5-6
Ghee or Oil - 4 Tblsp
Onion, made into a paste - 1
Tomatoes, chopped - 2
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Garam Masala - 1 Tblsp
Black Pepper - 1 Tsp
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Single Cream - 1/4 Cup
Raisins - 8-9
Almonds, blanched and slivered - 6
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Make a paste out Poppy seeds, melon seeds and cashews. Keep aside.
2. Heat Oil/Ghee in a wok. Add in the onion paste. Brown lightly.
3. Add tomatoes and continue to brown until oil starts to separate.
4. Add in the poppy,melon seeds and cashew paste. Stir for 3 minutes.
5. Add in the whisked yogurt one tsp at a time so that it blends into the sauce without curdling.
6. Add the spices and chicken pieces. Add in 1 cup of water. Mix well.
7. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes or till chicken is cooked and tender.
8. Add in the cream, half of the raisins and almonds, and mix well. Simmer.
9. Cook for another 5 minutes till gravy thickens.
10. Serve hot garnished with cream, and some almond slivers and raisins sprinkled on top.

Posted in: Chicken,Chicken recipe,North Indian Cuisine,Punjabi Cuisine