Chicken Do Pyaza curry is one of many delicious Indian cuisines. This onion based Indian curry has a unique flavor that makes a wonderful, hearty dish!
Do Pyaza translated to english means “two onions”. This has two different potential different meanings. First, onions are cooked in two different ways for this recipe: sauteed and blended with a flavorful sauce, as well as caramelized and crisped to golden brown and added on top. It also has an onion based curry sauce, oftentimes using twice as much onion in a recipe as meat.
History of Do Pyaza
The origins of this dish are fascinating. According to Wikipedia, it was brought to Southeast Asia by the Mughals, who had descended from parts of the Middle East. That being said it seems to have been one of many Persian cuisines that have a Southeast Asian spin on it! I think the history of how culinary art has transformed over the years based on what has happened in the world is so cool.
Learning to Cook Indian Recipes
Back when I frequented restaurants, one of my favorite types to go to were Indian restaurants. As I learned to cook, Indian food was one of those cuisines that was too advanced for me – with all the complicated spices! Now that I have pretty much eliminated restaurant food from my diet -not to mention from my budget! – I have learned to make a few Indian meals; my favorites being Lamb Korma, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Do Pyaza.
I recently discovered how to make Indian food exponentially better: by slow cooking on the stove. For years I was using my instant pot to make all of my Indian curries, and boy was I missing out! Something about the process of cooking over a low heat makes the depth of flavor and textures so much more delicious. I hardly ever use my instant pot anymore for making meals.
Another trick to making Indian food even better is by using marinated chicken. Marinating chicken pieces with a garlic, ginger and yogurt mixture creates juicy chicken that brings the dish to another level.
It’s recommended by many Indian food recipe writers to use whole spices and grind them yourself. I’ll admit, I’m not totally there yet – but when I do take the time to grind my spices fresh, it’s amazing! If you have the time I highly suggest giving it a try.
What Kind of Chicken to Use
For chicken curry recipes, I like to cut the meat off of a whole organic chicken. This makes it so that you have some tender and juicy dark meat along with the white meat. It’s also the most budget friendly and healthy option: you can then take the carcass with leftover meat pieces and make a bone broth soup!
What kind of Onions to Use
Red onions are often used for their sweetness, but I find that yellow onions work as well. It’s important to slowly cook down the onions for garnish, so that they become nice and sweet. This has a big impact on the flavor of the meal as a whole.
How to Make Murgh Do Pyaza
Step One
Begin by removing the skin and cutting the meat off of a whole chicken (about 2 pounds of meat). Cut into 1 inch pieces. If you are buying precut chicken, dark meat is preferable.
Step Two
Make the ginger, garlic and turmeric yogurt mixture, and toss with chicken pieces in a large bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cooking. For spicy chicken, add a little cayenne pepper.
Step Three
Make a ginger-garlic paste. You can easily do this by grating the ginger and garlic and combining them.
Step Four
Chop onions and separate in half
Step Five
In a medium sized pan, add butter or ghee, half of the chopped onions, and a pinch of salt and cook on medium-low heat until caramelized and somewhat crispy, keeping separate from the other ingredients. Make sure not to brown them or they will be bitter! You can have this caramelizing while you cook the other part of the meal.
Step Six
In large pan, heat butter or ghee on medium-low heat, add the rest of the onions and sauté until translucent.
Step Six
Once onions are translucent, add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and paprika or kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt, and cook until fragrant.
Step Seven
Add tomato puree and stir to deglaze the pan.
Step Eight
Add yogurt, then pour into a bowl and blend these ingredients with an immersion blender until a creamy gravy or sauce forms. Add a little water if it’s too thick.
Step Nine
Rinse Pan and put back on stove set to medium-high heat. Preheat butter or ghee.
Step Ten
Add chicken to pan and cook until chicken sides are light brown, then add the blended sauce, bay leaf, and whole red chillies. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and cover.
Step Eleven
Cook on medium low for about one hour, or until chicken is very tender and sauce is thick and creamy.
Step Twelve
Serve over white rice and garnish with caramelized and crispy onions as well as fresh coriander or cilantro.
Enjoy!
How to Make Murgh Do Pyaza: Easy Indian Chicken Curry
Equipment
- 1 large stainless steal pan
- 1 medium stainless steel pan
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 knife
- 1 fine grater
- 1 vegetable peeler for peeling ginger
- 1 wooden spoon or other utensil for stirring
- 1 Large Bowl
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbs fresh grated ginger
- 1 tbs fresh grated or minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 2.5 lb Meat from 1 whole organic chicken
Curry Sauce
- 1.5 large onions (about 3/4 pound)
- 1 tbs fresh grated or minced garlic
- 1 tbs fresh grated ginger
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 3 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 cup tomato puree or strained tomatoes
- 2 tbs kashmiri chilli powder (or substitute with 1 tablespoon chilli powder and 1 tablespoon paprika)
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 whole red chillies
For Garnish
- 1.5 large onions (to be cooked down to caramelized)
- Chopped cilantro or fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
- Begin by removing the skin and cutting the meat off of a whole chicken (about 2 pounds of meat). Cut into 1 inch pieces. If you are buying precut chicken, dark meat is preferable.
- Make the ginger, garlic and turmeric yogurt mixture, and toss with chicken pieces in a large bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cooking. For spicy chicken, add a little cayenne pepper.
- Make a ginger-garlic paste. You can easily do this by grating the ginger and garlic and combining them.
- Chop onions and separate in half
- In a medium sized pan, add butter or ghee, half of the chopped onions, and a pinch of salt and cook on medium-low heat until caramelized and somewhat crispy, keeping separate from the other ingredients. Make sure not to brown them or they will be bitter! You can have this caramelizing while you cook the other part of the meal.
- In large pan, heat butter or ghee on medium-low heat, add the rest of the onions and sauté until translucent.
- Once onions are translucent, add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and paprika or kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt, and cook until fragrant.
- Add tomato puree and stir to deglaze the pan.
- Add yogurt, then pour into a bowl and blend these ingredients with an immersion blender until a creamy gravy or sauce forms. Add a little water if it's too thick.
- Rinse Pan and put back on stove set to medium-high heat. Preheat butter or ghee.
- Add chicken to pan and cook until chicken sides are light brown, then add the blended sauce, bay leaf, and whole red chillies. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and cover.
- Cook on medium low for about one hour, or until chicken is very tender and sauce is thick and creamy.
- Serve over white rice and garnish with caramelized and crispy onions as well as fresh coriander or cilantro.
- Enjoy!
