Chicken and Onion Curry (Chicken Dopiaza)

Name: Chicken and Onion Curry (Chicken Dopiaza)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 4 large sweet onions, preferably Walla Walla; 6 cloves garlic; 1 (1 1/2") piece ginger, peeled; 7 tbsp. canola oil; 5 tbsp. tomato paste; 1 tbsp. ground coriander; 1 tbsp. ground cumin; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground turmeric; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 ⁄ 4 cup yogurt; 6 whole, peeled canned tomatoes, drained and crushed; 1 (3–4-lb.) chicken, cut into 6–8 pieces, skin removed; Kosher salt, to taste; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. garam masala; 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro; 3 serrano chiles, quartered; Cooked basmati rice, for serving

Serves
serves 6

TODD COLEMAN

Sweet Walla Walla onions, which we profiled in the SAVEUR 100 list in our January/February 2010 issue, are ideal for this Indian dish. The word dopiaza, which means "onions twice" in Urdu, refers to the large quantity of onions that's usually used in this style of curry.

Ingredients

4 large sweet onions, preferably Walla Walla
6 cloves garlic
1 (1 1/2") piece ginger, peeled
7 tbsp. canola oil
5 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. ground cumin
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground turmeric
¹⁄₂ tsp. cayenne pepper
¹⁄₄ cup yogurt
6 whole, peeled canned tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 (3–4-lb.) chicken, cut into 6–8 pieces, skin removed
Kosher salt, to taste
¹⁄₂ tsp. garam masala
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
3 serrano chiles, quartered
Cooked basmati rice, for serving

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Instructions

Step 1

Roughly chop 2 onions; put into a food processor with garlic and ginger. Process to a paste; set aside. Thinly slice remaining onions; set aside.

Step 2

Heat oil in an 8-qt. pot over medium-high heat; add sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until well browned, 18–20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a bowl. Add reserved onion–garlic paste to pot; cook, stirring, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Add tomato paste, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; cook until paste is browned, 1–2 minutes. Add yogurt, tomatoes, and chicken and season with salt; cook, stirring, until browned, 3–4 minutes. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Increase heat to medium-high, uncover, add sautéed onions and garam masala, and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Stir in cilantro and chiles and serve with rice.

Roughly chop 2 onions; put into a food processor with garlic and ginger. Process to a paste; set aside. Thinly slice remaining onions; set aside.
Heat oil in an 8-qt. pot over medium-high heat; add sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until well browned, 18–20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a bowl. Add reserved onion–garlic paste to pot; cook, stirring, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Add tomato paste, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; cook until paste is browned, 1–2 minutes. Add yogurt, tomatoes, and chicken and season with salt; cook, stirring, until browned, 3–4 minutes. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high, uncover, add sautéed onions and garam masala, and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Stir in cilantro and chiles and serve with rice.