Today, I’m gonna share with you how to prepare a special dish, Dhuma Kara Chicken, smoked chicken curry. It is one of my favorite food recipes. For mine, I will make it a little bit unique and simpler. This will be really delicious.

Smoked chicken curry is one of the most unique of current foods. It’s simple, it is fast, it tastes delicious. It is appreciated by many every day.

When I discovered smoking fish and chicken in loose tea or wood…I thought Dhuma chicken will be perfect this way.
Smoking the raw protein ensures the smokey flavour penetrates the flesh.
I prefer it to smoking in the marinade.

The taste and flavour is amazing and best done with charcoal. It helps to have a huge stash as we have for our hookah!
I’ve used a simple smoking method here that anybody can do. I used to use old assortment biscuit tins. Put my plate or shallow bowl with protein in. I still have couple for smoking but a deep storage container will do. The more space the more smoke area!
I’ve used a simple smoking method here that anybody can do at home.

How long you smoke is personal taste. I like the potent hit. Some like  the nuances and undertones. It’s one to practice and try. To start I think twice before cooking and twice after should suffice with cinnamon as everyone should have it at home. With charcoal it creates more smoke so 7 minutes once only to start then end.

Dhuma Kara Chicken with its versatility, it can be served with steamed rice or parathas and assorted naans too.

This is great to make the day before. I often smoke it just once…then again before serving. It depends how intense you like it.

It really has a unique flavour and tastes absolutely delicious! I implore you to try it!

INGREDIENTS:

1 chicken cut
4 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamom pods split
1 bayleaf
Quarter cup oil
3 medium onions finely chopped
3 fresh tomatoes blitzed
Garlic minced
Thumb size ginger minced
2 green chillies minced
2 green chillies sliced
2 tbsp Kashmiri Basar East End brand.
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp dried methi leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of methi powder
2 tsp salt
Fistful fresh coriander chopped
1 fresh tomato into chunks

METHOD:

Stage I

Firstly we smoke the raw chicken.
Place the washed, drained chicken in the airtight container.

Place a small peice of foil on the chicken.
Place a couple drops of oil on the foil

For cinnamon:
Using tongs light the cinnamon directly on the gas flame untill it burns red and burns enough to have some ember.

Place onto the oil on the foil and seal the lid immediately.
The ember will smoke and add the smoky flavor to the chicken.

I leave this now for 15 mins. Once the smoke has subsided, remove the foil from the chicken.  At this point stir/mix the chicken and repeat. You can use another piece of cinnamon but I tend to use the same piece.

For Charcoal
If you’re using charcoal it gets smokey enough with the first time. As most people don’t have charcoal cinnamon stick works fine but needs few attempts. Ensure it’s well sealed when smoking. Leave aside.

If you’re using charcoal, place a small metal bowl in the center of the Chicken. Burn the charcoal till its grey ash ember.

Place the charcoal ember on the bowl, add few drops of oil and cover immediately as it smokes. Smoke for 6 to 7 minutes only.
Uncover then stir. Leave aside.

Stage 2 The curry:

Heat oil, add cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bayleaf.
Add onions, once they become opaque add salt and minced garlic/ginger.

Fry till onions are golden in colour and garlic/ ginger have lost the rawness.
Add the bltz tomato.

Fry till oil splits, add splashes of water and cover, keep cooking till oil separates and until onions are soft. Repeat on med/low temperature. This can take a good 5 to 8 mins.

Now add spices, cook for few minutes. Add splashes of water till oil splits. Do this for approximately 5mins.

Next add the chicken, stir well,
cook covered on low till chicken is cooked. Do not add water. The chicken will release its own juices. Just let it cook on a low heat covered till chicken is cooked. Stir occasionally to ensure it does not burn or stick!

About 5 minutes before the end add the fresh slit chillies, fresh coriander and tomato chunks.

Once your dish is cooked, repeat the smoking process again twice for cinnamon stick or once for charcoal. Stir after smoking.

Serve.
When I serve I take it to the table in the midst of the smoking so when the lids opened you get waft of the smoke!

TIPS:

It is preferable to use charcoal for speed and intensity but I’ve used cinnamon to demonstrate you can still achieve the taste with cassia or cinnamon but may need to repeat the smoking for deeper smokiness.

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