Champaran Chicken (The Bihari Meat Curry)

Instructions

1. In a pan over medium-low flame, roast the spices mentioned under Dry Roast. Stir frequently and roast till the spices release an aroma and are lightly toasted (should take around 4-5 minutes. Make sure not to burn your spices, lower the flame if necessary.
2. Take off the heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, transfer the spices to a grinder or blender jar and blend to a fine powder.
3. In a large pan or bowl add the chicken pieces along with all the ingredients other than the whole garlic pods. So, in goes chopped onions, dry whole red chillies, bay leaves, garlic cloves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 of the mustard oil, slit green chilies, salt to taste.
4. Next add 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of the dry roasted spice powder as well. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, making sure all the chicken pieces gets properly coated from all sides.
5. If not in a hurry, it is best to keep aside the marinated chicken for about 20-30 mins. If in a hurry, you may skip this.
6. Take an earthen pot or handi and add the remaining half of the mustard oil to it. Rotate the pot as much as possible, so that the oil runs across the inside wall of the earthen pot.
7. Next transfer the chicken along with all the marination into the earthen pot or handi. Place the whole garlic cloves pods to the earthen pot.
8. Cover with a lid and seal the edges of the pot with a dough, so that no steam can come out from the sides of the earthen pot while the Champaran chicken is being cooked.
9. Cook on sim for 45-50 mins. Make sure to lower the flame to a Sim, once the handi (earthen pot) heats up to a boil. If possible, lift the pot and swirl it lightly to enable the chicken pieces to get tossed around inside the pot. This helps in even cooking. As the pot will be Hot, so do remember to use baking gloves or dusters for both your hands.
10. Switch off the heat, let the pot cool down a bit, before you cut the dough to allow you to open the lid of the handi.
11. Your Chicken Champaran is ready to be served. Goes best with steamed rice, though tastes equally great with all kinds of rotis, parathas and naan.