Zeera Chicken Handi

Different from the regular chicken handi, this zeera chicken handi is made using green chili, lots of bhuna zeera (roasted cumin) and of course yoghurt and cream to make a rich gravy. Best had with paratha or buttery naan.

Certain recipes come about as a combination of leftover items in the fridge and combining ones favourite ingredients hoping for magic to happen. This zeera chicken handi recipe is a combination of both. Leftover cream in the fridge and roasted cumin seeds (also known as bhuna zeera), which is one of my favourite ingredients. I always have it on hand to spice raita and add it in dahi baray/dahi bhallay. The process of toasting and crushing the cumin seeds to make bhuna zeera adds an earthy flavour and aroma changing the flavour of the basic cumin seed. All you need is a frying pan to toast cumin and then a grinder, mortar and pestle or even just a rolling pan to crush this spice.

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Zeera Chicken Handi

Different from the regular chicken handi, this zeera chicken handi is made using green chili, lots of bhuna zeera (roasted cumin) and of course yoghurt and cream to make a rich gravy. Best had with paratha or buttery naan.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Pakistani

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3 people

Calories 1063 kcal

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 300 grams boneless chicken cubed
• 1 green chili
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
• Salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder/bhuna zeera plus more to garnish
• ½ cup yoghurt
• ¼ cup cream

Instructions

1. Heat oil and fry onions till brown. Drain them in colander and once dry, crush with your hands. Set aside.
2. Place the green chilies and coriander in a blender and pulse till a paste is formed. Alternatively, put them in a mortar and pestle and just bash a few times till a thick paste is formed. Add water if required. Set aside.

3. Heat about 2 tablespoons of the leftover oil from frying the onions, and add ginger garlic paste followed by the chicken.

4. Cook the chicken till golden, and then add green chili paste and yoghurt. Add salt, roasted cumin powder and black pepper.
5. Stir together and cook on low heat till the chicken is cooked through, and then add the crushed onions.
6. Finally add cream, and mix. Take off heat and serve hot with paratha or roti.
7. Garnish with sliced green chilies and more roasted cumin powder.