Pakistani Chicken Salan Curry Recipe

Homestyle Pakistani chicken salan curry with basmati rice and kachumber salad.

Pakistani Chicken Salan Curry Recipe

Chicken salan is a delicious and simple Pakistani curry, rather than being the sort of thing that you will find on a takeaway menu, this dish is very much a "homestyle" dish. My version features chicken leg pieces cooked on the bone in a generously spiced sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Anglo Pakistani

Keyword Chicken leg curry, chicken salan, Murghi Salan, pakistani chicken curry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 20

Total Time 1 30

Servings Servings

Calories 603kcal

Author Brian Jones

Ingredients

1 Medium-Large Onion 200g
4 Garlic Cloves
15 g Ginger ½ Thumb-Sized Piece
3 tablespoon Cooking Oil I like to use Mustard Oil *See FAQ's*
2 Chicken Legs Skinless
1 Medium Tomato 150g
1 Green Finger Chilli Pepper
1 Black Cardamom Pod
10 cm Cinnamon Bark 4" piece
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
¼ Tsp Ajwain (Carom) Seeds
12 Black Peppercorns
1 tablespoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
¾ teaspoon Salt
175 ml Water ¾ Cup
1 teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
Fresh Coriander For Garnish

Instructions

Peel and roughly chop the onion, then toss it into a mini blender.
Bash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife, remove the papery skins and toss them into the mini blender.
Peel and roughly chop the ginger and add it to the blender.
Blitz to a smooth puree using as much water as required.
Heat a 20cm or 8" saucepan over a medium heat, add the cooking oil, and when it is hot, add the onion puree. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring regularly.
You are looking to drive off almost all of the moisture and for the onion to just start colouring up.
If your chicken legs have the skin on, remove it and then cut them into two parts: thighs and drumsticks.
Cut the tomato into a rough 1cm (just under ½") dice.
Slit the green chilli pepper lengthways, keeping the stem in place.
Place the cardamom pod on a chopping board and bash it with the side of the knife. You don't want to pulverise it, just crack it open a little.
When the onion puree has begun to colour up, add the chicken and green chilli pepper, cook for 3-4 minutes, turning regularly.
Throw in the tomato, cardamom pod, cinnamon bark, peppercorns, cumin, fennel and ajwain seeds. Followed by the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt.
Stir to combine and toast off the spices for a minute or two.
Pour over the water, give everything another stir and cook over a low heat for 30-35 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn up the heat to medium-high. Crush the dried fenugreek into the pan and sprinkle in the garam masala, and cook for a final 10-15 minutes to reduce the sauce a little.
Serve with lots of fresh coriander.

Video

Notes

Try and fish out the cardamom pod and the cinnamon stick before serving.

Nutrition