Aamras Murgh (Chicken in Mango Yoghurt Gravy)

I came across this recipe in the Femina magazine, a premier Indian beauty and lifestyle magazine. In my teens, I used to gape at the beautiful women adorning the pages of Femina but today, it is the food section that gets my first attention.

The combination of raw or ripe mango with seafood is pretty common in Kerala, where I come from. But I had never had a savory meat dish which used mango puree in it. I knew I had to try out this one and I must say, I was deliciously surprised with the result.

The dish has underlying Rajasthani flavours with the use of saffron, hing (asafetida) and dried kasuri methi (fenugreek) leaves. It is summer here in Melbourne and mangoes are in plenty. After trying so many different varieties, both locally grown and flown in from other countries, I am yet to taste the sweet succulence of our Indian mangoes. But at the same time, the ones here are not very sweet and hence make it perfect for use in savory dishes like this.

So to cut the story short, Aamras Murgh (sounds exotic too) or chicken in spicy mango yoghurt curry is definitely different from anything I have tasted before. The succulent chicken pieces are coated in a rich, creamy, sweet and spicy gravy, perfect with a bowl of hot, steaming rice or to mop up with a buttery naan/roti.

Print Recipe

Aamras Murgh (Chicken in Mango Yoghurt Gravy)

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

• Chicken – 1 kg boneless pieces
• Marinade:
• Yoghurt – 1 cup
• Salt – to season
• Green chillies – 2 minced
• Ginger paste – 1 tsp
• Pepper powder – 1 tsp
• Saffron – 4-5 threads
• Gravy:
• Ghee – 3-4 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Dry red chilli – 3
• Cardamom – 2
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander/cumin paste – ½ tbsp
• Ripe mango pulp – 1 cup
• Salt – to season
• Hing/asafetida – a pinch
• Dried kasuri methi/fenugreek leaves – ¾ ths tsp

Instructions

• Prepare the marinade by mixing together ingredients under 2.
• Coat the chicken pieces well. Leave it overnight if possible or at least for 2 hours before preparation.
• In a kadai/pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds, dry red chillies and cardamom.
• Then add the chicken pieces with the marinade; mix well and bring to boil over medium heat.
• Add the rest of the spices and mango pulp. Season with salt and add water if necessary for the gravy. Cook till the chicken pieces are juicy and succulent.
• Heat ghee in a small pan and temper hing and kasuri methi. Take care not to burn and add this to the top of the dish to complete it.
• Serve hot with rice or roti