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Nagpur saoji chicken
सावजी चिकन: Nagpur's fiery chicken in a dark, oily gravy of roasted dry coconut, poppy seeds and black saoji masala
Saoji cooking comes from the Saoji (Halba Koshti) weaver community of Nagpur, and their small eateries are famous across Vidarbha for chicken and mutton curries so hot that diners keep plain rice and a glass of water close by. The gravy is dark, almost black, from slow-roasted dry coconut, poppy seeds, dried red chillies and whole spices, with a layer of red oil on top. It is eaten with bhakri or rotis, especially on weekends and winter evenings. The common mistake is roasting the masala on high heat, which makes it bitter; roast low and slow until deep brown. Chef's tip: marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least an hour, and cook until the thickest piece reaches 74 °C.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 2 lb chicken thighs and drumsticks on the bone, skinlesscut into curry pieces
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
For the saoji masala
- 1 ¾ oz dried coconut (kopra)grated
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 cloves
- 1 ⅝ in cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp stone flower (dagad phool) (optional)
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
For the curry
- 6 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 cups hot water
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 2 lb chicken thighs and drumsticks on the bone, skinless with ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ¼ tsp salt and 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
60 minStep 2: Dry-roast 1 ¾ oz dried coconut (kopra) in a heavy pan on low heat, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until deep brown but not black. Tip out.
8 minStep 3: In the same pan heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil and roast 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (khus khus), 8 dried red chillies, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 4 cloves, 1 ⅝ in cinnamon stick, 2 black cardamom, 1 star anise and 1 tsp stone flower (dagad phool) on low for 4–5 minutes until dark and fragrant.
5 minStep 4: Grind the coconut and spices with about 100 ml water to a smooth, dark paste.
3 minStep 5: Heat 6 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot, fry 2 onions 10 minutes until dark brown, then add the paste and 2 tsp red chilli powder and fry 8–10 minutes on low, stirring, until it turns very dark and the oil separates in a red layer.
18 minStep 6: Add the chicken and cook on high 5 minutes, turning to coat.
5 minStep 7: Pour in 2 cups hot water, cover and simmer 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the thickest piece reads 165°F. The gravy should be thin with oil floating on top.
25 minStep 8: Scatter with 3 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with bhakri or rotis.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nagpur saoji chicken take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
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