I've tried to make chicken pasanda in the past, but this is the first time I actually succeeded. The recipe is quite good, though the results are somewhat different from those of similarly named dishes at restaurants. Mike really liked it, though I was a bit less passionate about it.

I followed the recipe quite closely, though I used cumin powder instead of black cumin seeds - they were just not available at my local Indian market. Black cumin is sweeter, but I thought the curry was sweet enough as it was. I used Indian yoghurt, but you can substitute with Greek-style yoghurt. I also omitted the green chilies - the curry was spicy enough for me as it was. But if you like spicy food, by all means add them. If you can't find Indian chillies use Thai or bird's eye chilies.

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Balti Chicken Pasanda

Ingredients

1 1 / 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken parts

1/4 cup Indian yoghurt

1/2 tsp. black cumin seeds (substitute with 1 tsp. ground cumin)

4 cardamom pods

6 whole black peppercorns

2 tsp. garam masala

1" cinnamon stick

1 Tbsp. ground almonds

1 tsp. crushed garlic

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. corn oil

2 yellow onions, chopped

2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup whipping cream

3 green chillies, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Cut the chicken into bite-size cubes.

Mix the yoghurt with the cumin, cardamon pods, peppercorns, garam masala, cinnamon stick, almonds, garlic, ginger, chili powder and salt. Add chicken and mix well. Marinate for 2 hours.

Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the onions and fry for 3 minutes. Add the chicken and stir until well mix. Cook over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is thick. Add the cilantro, cream and optional green chillies. Mix well, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and serve.

Adapted from Mridula Baljekar et al.Best Ever Indian Cookbook