Achari Murg (Pickled Chicken)

Achari Murg!! Achar means pickle and Murg means Chicken in India. So you guessed it! This is a very flavorful and tangy dish. I had honestly never eaten it before and didn't know how it tasted, so one day I thought why not make it and find out! So here it is and if you are wondering how it turned out.. well, my husband literally licked his plate and the serving bowl clean!! Need I say any thing more? :P :D Try it yourself and let me know what happens in your house :)

Ingredients:

Chicken 1/2 kg - Marinated for an hour or so with turmeric powder and garam masala powder. 

Use the part with bones for this dish.

Onions - 1 large finely chopped

Tomatoes - 2 medium finely chopped

Yogurt/Curd - 1 cup, beaten.

Manog pickle - 1 tb sp.

Bay leaf - 1

Ginger garlic paste - 2tb sp

Dried Red chilies, whole - 2-3

Pepper corns - 4-6

Mustard seeds - 1/2 t sp

Cumin seeds - 1 t sp

Green chilies - 2-3 chopped finely

Onion seeds (kalongi) - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds (methi) - 1/2 t sp

Fennel seeds (Saunf) - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice - 1 tb sp.

Veg Oil - 2 tb sp

Mustard Oil - 1 tb sp

Method:

- Heat both the oils together in a medium or deep pan.

- When hot add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

- Next add the Bay leaf, cumin seeds, Onion seeds, Fenugreek seeds and Fennel seeds and saute. Regulate the flame so that these seeds don't burn.

- Now add the onions and some salt and saute till translucent.

- Add the gigner garlic paste and green chillies and saute till the raw smell of GG paste is gone.

- Now add the pepper corns and red chillies and saute for a minute.

- Now add chopped tomatoes and remaining spices and cover it till the tomatoes are nicely cooked and mashed.

- Now lower the flame and add the yogurt and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, covered.

- Finally add the chicken, mango pickle and cook covered till it is juicy and tender. Add the lemon juice and mix well before serving.

- Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Tips:

- If you want an intense flavor, you can use all of mustard oil and skip the Veg oil. Or vice versa if you don't like mustard oil.

- Whenever using mustard oil for cooking, keep the heat high initially and allow all the fumes to pass away, this reduces any bitterness in this oil.

- To increase the pickled flavor further, instead of adding all the seeds as a whole, you can roast them and make a powder and use it. 

- Although the name is achari, this dish cannot be stored as long as a pickle :)

- All my vegetarian friends, just use paneer instead of chicken and you have Paneer Achari!

- Adjust the red and green chillies according to your taste.

Healthy Twist:

- Use olive oil instead of Veg oil.

- Use Breast part of the chicken which is healthier than the rest of the parts.