Chicken Tehari

Chicken Tehari/Tahiri, a simple rice and white chicken curry dish is so easy to put together that belongs to Awadhi cuisine of Uttar Pradesh, India. Tehari is in between Polao and Biriyani without fancy ingredients yet full of flavors and quick to whip up for restaurant style weeknight meals. This dish does not need any side dish other than some salad. It's a meal on its own. 

This is Bangladeshi style Tihari; chicken curry cooked with warm spices and mustard oil for its mild Bengali touch. This dish is mildly spiced and can be adjusted the heat level according to the palate. When the rice is almost 80 % cooked, chicken curry with its gravy is dumped over the rice along with fried onions and some slit hot green chilies and cooked to infuse the rice on low heat for a while. The gravy bursting with flavors soaks the rice and mingling with succulent chicken pieces creates a nice aroma and delicious wet texture of rice. Serve Tehari as is or with some salad and raita.

Ingredients for the chicken~
1 whole chicken, excess fat removed, cut in small pieces(3lb. bone-in and skinless) or leg and thigh pieces
1 cup onion, thinly chopped plus 1 cup julienned
1 tbsp. garlic paste
2 tbsp. ginger paste
6-8 hot fresh chili or as per heat tolerance
3/4 cup thick yogurt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1  2"flat cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 whole green cardamom
1 clove
1 tiny piece of cinnamon stick
1/4 piece nutmeg
1/2 piece mace
1/4 cup mustard oil(preferably) plus half cup white oil for fried onions
1 tbsp ghee
2 1/2 cups warm water

For the rice~
2 cups of Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked in cold water for 15 minutes, drain it
4 cups of water
1 tbsp salt
2 whole green cardamom
1 clove
1 tiny piece of cinnamon stick
1/8 piece nutmeg
1/4 piece mace
1 tbsp melted ghee

Method~

Marinate the chicken pieces with yogurt and salt. Keep it aside for 15-20 minutes. In a large heavy bottomed pan heat oil on high heat and fry julliened onions until brown in two batches. Keep aside. Remove oil from the pan and add 1/4 cup mustard oil in the pan. Saute onion with bay leaf and flat cinnamon stick for about 6 minutes. Add in ginger-garlic paste and saute for couple of minutes, then add cumin-coriander powder and cook until they soften. Add the chicken pieces in to the mixture. Keep stirring until the spices coat the chicken nicely for 8-10 minutes and raw smell goes off. Pour in warm water and a few green chilies. Bring to a boil on high heat then let it simmer for 8 minutes with the lid on over low-medium heat. Stir in between so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Gravy needs to be medium thick. Once the chicken is tender taste and adjust the seasonings. Grind together cardamom, clove, nutmeg, mace and small cinnamon stick. Turn off the heat and sprinkle spices over the chicken curry and give it a good stir.

While chicken is cooking take big pan and bring water to a full rolling boil. Grind together cardamom, clove, nutmeg, mace and small cinnamon stick. Add in the rice, ghee, salt, ground spices and cook till 80 % done. Dump chicken curry over the rice and sprinkle fried onions and green chilies on top. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat with the lid on. Turn off the heat and wait for 10 more minutes before serving. Gently fluff up the chicken rice mixture with a fork. Serve Chicken Tehari with raita and salad. Enjoy this one dish deliciousness with family and guest.  

Happy Cooking!