Aromatic chicken handi

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The Balti was popularised by the Pakistani community in Birmingham, a quick one-pot spicy stir-fry that takes little time and effort but is bursting with flavour. Sumayya explores the origins of this dish and shares a recipe for an aromatic chicken version.

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Though having lived most of my life in Pakistan, I never came across this dish being referred to as balti, in Pakistan a similar dish is served up on food streets and homes known as handi.

The name refers to the simple glazed terracotta pot it is cooked in over a log fire, the smoke of the wood adds to the haunting spice and dry curry sauce. Pakistani curries are not always watery in fact most curries in Pakistan are of the dryish variety. Always eaten with naan or plain basmati rice, handi is either made with meat, poultry or vegetables. This style of cooking celebrates the freshness of seasonal local produce and many styles of Pakistani heritage cooking and flavours from across the country.

My personal favourite way to cook Pakistani food is handi style – it rejoices in good produce, reminds me of wonderfully fragrant street food stalls and the essence of the simple yet uniquely aromatic flavours of Pakistan all rolled into one.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Chicken handi

Garnish

Method

1
Heat the oil in a wok, karhai, handi or a balti pan, on medium heat and add the cardamom, coriander and cumin seeds. Once they pop, add the onions and stir fry until brown
2
Add the ginger and garlic and cook until the raw smell of the garlic leaves the pan. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft and oil starts to rise to the top, you may need to add a splash of water to avoid the tomatoes from burning
3
Next add the chicken, garam masala powder, salt and red chilli. Stir fry until chicken is half cooked. Add the dried methi and yoghurt
4
Once the chicken is done, add the desiccated coconut and stir through. Serve garnished with chopped coriander, green chillis and ginger
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Sumayya Usmani is a cookbook author, writer and cookery teacher who specialises in Pakistani cuisine.

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