🍛 Chicken Curry with Whole Spices

Fragrant, flavorful, and rooted in Indian tradition — this curry gets its depth from the slow blooming of whole spices.

🐔 Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
500g chicken (bone-in or boneless, as preferred)

1 cup yogurt (whisked)

Salt to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

Whole Spices:
2 tbsp oil or ghee

1 bay leaf

1–2 black cardamoms

3–4 green cardamoms

4–6 black peppercorns

4–5 cloves

1-inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

For the Gravy:
2 large onions, finely sliced

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 medium tomatoes, pureed

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp kasuri methi (optional)

½ cup water (adjust for consistency)

Fresh coriander, for garnish

👨🍳 Instructions:
1. Marinate the Chicken:
In a bowl, mix chicken with yogurt, salt, turmeric, and red chilli powder.

Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavor).

2. Temper Whole Spices:
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.

Add cumin seeds, followed by bay leaf, cardamoms, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds.

Sauté until the spices sizzle and turn aromatic.

3. Sauté Onion Base:
Add sliced onions and cook until golden brown.

Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook until raw smell disappears.

4. Build the Curry:
Add pureed tomatoes, coriander powder, and salt.

Cook until the mixture thickens and oil begins to separate.

5. Cook the Chicken:
Add marinated chicken with the yogurt mix.

Cook on medium-high heat until the chicken is seared and changes color.

Add water and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the gravy is flavorful.

6. Finish & Garnish:
Sprinkle garam masala and kasuri methi.

Simmer for 2–3 more minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

🍽️ Serving Suggestion:
Serve hot with basmati rice, jeera rice, or soft rotis/parathas.

🪄 Welza Tip:
Whole spices like Welza Black Cardamom, Cloves, and Cinnamon create a warm, complex flavor — don’t skip them!