Desi Murgh Karahi Recipe | Country Chicken Curry Recipe
Desi murgh karahi or desi chicken shorba is a delicious and spicy curry made with country chicken (domestic chicken) and a delicious blend of spices. It is a wonderful treat for everyone.
This village style desi chicken curry recipe uses free range chicken and is flavorful and so tasty. Country chicken or desi murgh is bred in natural environment and possess fewer toxins, meaning little to no health risks, as compared to broiler chickens. It gets to move around a lot that develops their muscles more. That’s the reason the meat of desi chicken takes longer to get tender.
It is full of nutrition and perfect for family dinners, especially for kids. Growing up we ate country chicken regularly for its health benefits and now we make sure that our daughter also eats them.
Give this delicious desi murgh karahi a try and share your feedback with me. I’ve included detailed video with step by step instructions below, to show how to prepare this desi chicken curry.
This recipe of desi murgh karahi calls for a combination of wonderful ingredients, and they include:
Serving Suggestions:
Garnish with fresh coriander, green chilies and julienned ginger. Serve hot with onion salad, naan, roti or cumin rice for a delicious meal.
Storage Suggestions:
- Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- This recipe freezes well, so you can cook a double batch, consume some and freeze the rest for later use for up to two months. Just store it in a freezer safe container.
Recipe Notes:
- Use bone-in chicken for more flavors.
- Adjust the spices according to your preference.
- If you don’t have pressure cooker, you can use a regular pan to cook desi chicken. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
- Cooking time may vary according to the age and size of the chicken.
- I used country chicken without skin, but the skin is also very healthy. Just make sure to carefully remove all the hair from skin by burning on direct flame and then scrub it well and rinse clean.
- You can use a regular broiler chicken for this recipe. Don’t pressure cook as this will overcook the chicken.
- You can also add potatoes, peas or chickpeas to the gravy for more flavor.
- Adjust the consistency of gravy or shorba to personal preference. For a thicker gravy or shorba, take off lid and cook on high flame until water evaporates. Or you can add more water if you want more gravy.
Step by step video tutorial:
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Ingredients
- 1 kg desi murgh (country chicken)
- 2 tablespoons mustard seed oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 cup onions (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons ginger & garlic (paste)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 black cardamom
- 5-6 cloves
- 1 tablespoon green chilies (sliced)
- 1 cup tomatoes (crushed)
- 1 tablespoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 liter water
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. Let them crackle
- Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
- Add ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add bay leaves, cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, and green chilies. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes, salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and black pepper powder. Add a splash of water and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the chicken and fry for 2 minutes. Then pour in 1 liter of water and bring to a boil.
- Close the lid and pressure cook for 15 to 20, or until the chicken is tender. Do not overcook.
- Adjust salt if needed. Add dried fenugreek leaves and simmer uncovered to reduce the gravy to your desired consistency.
- Garnish with fresh coriander, sliced green chilies, and julienned ginger.
- Serve hot with onion salad, naan, roti, or cumin rice. Enjoy! And remember “COOKING IS EASY!”
Notes
- If you don’t have a pressure cooker, use a regular pot. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
- Cooking time may vary depending on the age and size of the chicken.
- I used skinless country chicken, but you can use chicken with skin too. Just be sure to burn off any hair over a direct flame, then scrub and rinse it well.
- Adjust the gravy (shorba) consistency to your preference. For thicker gravy, cook uncovered on high heat until it reduces. For thinner gravy, add more water.
