Wash chicken well and pat dry. If the chicken are cut into bigger pieces (I have used drumsticks), make multiple slits into the flesh. Combine lemon juice, salt, turmeric and red chili powder and chicken in a zip lock bag (or in a non reactive bowl) and toss and rub well for the ingredients to stick to the chicken pieces. Allow it to sit for about 30 minutes. Add the yogurt, 1/2 tablespoon oil and the chopped/grated onion to the marinating chicken and rub them in well; allow to marinate for an hour or more.
Lightly crush/smash the peppercorn, clove, cardamom and cinnamon.
Peel and slice the potatoes. Sprinkle half teaspoon turmeric and some salt on them. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil in a pan , heat and add fry the potatoes until they start browning (golden brown) in spots. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil in the same pan and allow it to heat up. Shake off the marinade from the chicken pieces and add them to the pan in a single layer. Cook on all sides until the chicken whitens and just starts to brown. It will take approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove and you can place it back in the marinade or in a different bowl.
Add the rest of the oil in the pan. Allow it to heat up and add the peppercorn, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon and cardamom. When they sizzle add the sliced/chopped onions and the teaspoon of sugar. Cook the onions until they start turning golden brown. Add the ginger paste/grated, garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and the tomatoes. Toss and stir well; cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, the marinade and the coriander powder and cook while occasionally stirring. This is the part that will take time, about 15 – 20 minutes. The chicken will be half cooked during this process and the spice mix will be cooked through (getting rid of the raw taste and smell). This process of slowly braising is called “Bhuna” in Hindi and “Koshano” in Bengali. Once you see the the oil separating from the sides of the pan and kind of rising up in bubbles on the top, you will know it is done.
Now if you are using a pressure cooker, transfer everything in the pan to the pressure cooker. Add the potatoes, green chili pepper and the water and close it. Cook for about 10-12 minutes. The potatoes should be cooked and the chicken should actually be falling off the bones. The cooking time will need to be adjusted as all cookers are different. My pressure cooker only hisses and I never time it. I just know when it is cooked. Call it the “gut feeling”. It might be bit of an experiment to get it right, but you will have to find the perfect time for it.
If you are not using a pressure cooker, add the water, green chili pepper and the potatoes in the same pan. Give it a good stir, cover it with a tight fitting lid and cook until potatoes are tender and the chicken is falling off the bones.
Drizzle some lemon/lime juice and garnish with fresh cilantro just before serving. Keep the chicken curry covered until just ready to serve. It will keep the meat tender and prevent them for drying out.
Serve with hot steamed rice or Naan or even Poori. The Sunday afternoon lunch consisted of rice and the chicken and some sweet chutney to end the meal. But if this is served as a dinner, it is mostly served with some sort of bread or pulao.
Preparation Time: 2 hours or overnight (Included marinating time)
Cooking Time: 1.5 hours Serves: 4-6 Difficulty level : Moderate
