AUNTY SHIRLEY'S CHICKEN CURRY (HOT) - Your Recipe Blog

Ingredients

• 1 ½ – 2 kg of chicken, cut into largish even pieces, bones in, well washed
• 2 tablespoons oil of your choice, I prefer coconut oil
• 1 large finely chopped onion (the more onions, the more gravy)
• ¼ teaspoon ground soomph, known as fennel seeds in English
• ¼ teaspoon khas khas, known as poppy seeds in English
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 elaichi pods, known as cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stem curry leaves
• 1 star aniseed
• 1 teaspoon crushed ginger and garlic
• 4 ripe tomatoes, skins removed and chopped or pureed
• ½ teaspoon sugar, optional
• 3 tablespoons hot masala (I use a 50/50 blend of kashmiri and mother-in-law as named at the spice shops) or to taste
• 2 teaspoons salt
• water, as needed
• garam masala for sprinkling over at the end, optional
• fresh chopped dhania, known as corriander, for sprinkling over at the end, optional
• 4 medium potatoes, halved, or fresh double beans or 4 hard boiled eggs, optional