Chicken Bharta with Dhungar Method

an image of chicken bharta served with sliced onion and lemon wedges

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Chicken Bharta with Dhungar Method

Creamy yet loaded with texture, this chicken bharta recipe is such a great way to level up your regular chicken curry. Serve with naan or lachha paratha for a satisfying meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Halal

Servings: people

Author: Richa

Ingredients

For cooking chicken

750 gms chicken boneless thigh, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup water

For cashew - poppy seed paste

¼ cup broken cashews
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
⅓ cup water

For the bharta

1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon shahi jeera
2 bay leaves
1 ½ inch cinnamon stick
6 cloves
3 green cardamoms
10 peppercorns
2 green chillies finely chopped
¾ cups finely chopped onions approx. 1 ½ onions
1 inch ginger finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 ½ teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder
1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
¾ teaspoon cumin powder
¾ teaspoons salt
⅓ cup water
¾ cup tomato puree approx. of 3 medium tomatoes
3 tablespoon curds whisked
3 boiled eggs chopped into 1 cm cubes
¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
3 teaspoons kasuri methi dry roasted
1 ½ tablespoons fresh cream optional
3 tablespoons coriander leaves

For Dhungar / smoking

2-3 inches long charcoal
¼ teaspoon oil or ghee

Instructions

Shredding chicken

Add all ingredients for cooking chicken to a pressure cooker and after the first whistle, cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Allow to depressurise by itself.
750 gms chicken, 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup water
Drain chicken pieces & reserve the stock for use later. This should yield approx. ⅓ cup of chicken stock.
Chop chicken into 1 cm length and ¼ cm wide cubes. Do not shred the chicken as they turn mushy while cooking. Set aside.

For the cashew - poppy seed paste

Add all the ingredients mentioned for cashew poppy seed paste to a mixer grinder and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
¼ cup broken cashews, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, ⅓ cup water

For the bharta

Heat oil & ghee in a pan, add shahi jeera & all the whole spices given for the bharta and when they sizzle, add onions.
1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil, 3 tablespoons ghee, 1 teaspoon shahi jeera, 2 bay leaves, 1 ½ inch cinnamon stick, 6 cloves, 3 green cardamoms, 10 peppercorns, ¾ cups finely chopped onions
When onions turn light brown, add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add red chilli powder, kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and fry for a minute.
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 ½ teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder, 1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder, ¾ teaspoon cumin powder
Add tomato puree and fry for 6-8 minutes till oil & ghee separates from the sides of the pan.
¾ cup tomato puree
Add cashew - poppy seed paste & whisked curds and fry for 4-5 minutes till oil separates from the sides of the pan.
3 tablespoon curds
Add the reserved chicken stock & boil for a minute.
Add chopped chicken, mix well & cook for 5 minutes.
Add ⅓ cup water to adjust the consistency & boil for a minute.
⅓ cup water
Add green chillies, ginger, garam masala powder & chopped eggs & cook for a minute.
2 green chillies finely chopped, 1 inch ginger finely chopped, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, 3 boiled eggs
Add kasuri methi, fresh cream & coriander leaves, give it a good mix, take off the heat. While the bhartha is still hot, follow the dhungar instructions.
3 teaspoons kasuri methi, 1 ½ tablespoons fresh cream, 3 tablespoons coriander leaves

Dhungar / smoking bharta

Place charcoal on the gas flame and heat it for 5-7 minutes till it turns red.
2-3 inches long charcoal
Meanwhile, keep a steel bowl in the centre of the bharta pan & make sure that the pan has a proper lid to trap the smoke.
Hold the hot charcoal with tongs and put it in the bowl, pour oil on it and immediately cover the lid. Rest it for 3 minutes, discard the charcoal bowl and serve the bharta. (see note 6)
¼ teaspoon oil or ghee

Video

Notes

Use chicken boneless thigh as they are juicy and tender. You may use chicken breast instead but it might turn out dry & chewy.
Chop the cooked chicken as mentioned to get the right consistency of the gravy. Shredded chicken does not taste as good.
You may add more water, if required to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
Adding cream is optional but it gives a silky texture to the gravy.
Left-overs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Do not smoke for more than 3 minutes as it will be too overpowering.

Nutrition