Easy Bhuna recipe three ways… why three?
Well, we have one made with a base gravy in the British Indian Restaurant style. Another made with a Hotel Style gravy and another where it’s cooked in a more traditional way. Something for everyone!
Everybody knows the dish ‘Bhuna’ from the Indian restaurant or takeaway but bhuna is a technique of cooking.
Bhuna translates as ‘to fry’ and refers to the frying of onion, garlic, ginger, and spices in hot oil to form a paste. The traditional Indian dish often uses lamb or mutton which is cooked with added tomatoes to form a thick sauce which clings to the meat.
I have added a Bhuna Masala Curry Powder to the ‘Ome Made range. It’s the ideal combination of spices for the dish with warming spices and a nice quantity of Kashmiri Chilli to give a little background heat and great colour. Of course, you could use any brand or your own if you wish.
If you need a recipe for Base Gravy or Hotel Gravy them have a look here ‘Easy Curry Sauce Recipe’. Or if you have your own favourite recipe then just use that.
And although the following recipes all use chicken you can substitute lamb or beef as long as it’s precooked. I’ve found lamb tikka works incredibly well, especially when using ‘Ome Made Turbo Tikka mix.
Prawns would also work well but remember to reduce the cooking time or just throw in towards the end of cooking.
Or you could substitute paneer, vegetables, or pulses of your choice for a Vegetarian or Vegan option.
Easy Chicken Bhuna Three Ways! It should have been four, five or six!
Chicken Bhuna B.I.R Style
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped.
- 2-3 green finger chillies sliced optional.
- ½ green pepper diced optional
- 1 tbsp coriander stalks finely chopped.
- 1 tbsp garlic/ginger paste.
- 2 rounded tsp ‘Ome Made Bhuna Masala
- 2 Tbsp tomato puree diluted to a thin paste.
- 450 ml diluted base sauce.
- 300 g pre-cooked chicken or lamb.
- ½ tsp tamarind concentrate.
- Pinch of salt or to taste.
- ¼ tsp sugar optional.
- 1 large salad tomato cut in ½ and each ½ cut into 4.
Instructions
- Dilute the tomato paste with enough water to make a thin paste
- Heat your frying pan or karahi with the oil in
- On a moderate heat add the onion and cook, stirring often, ‘till going golden brown.
- Add the garlic/ginger paste and cook for about 30-40 seconds.
- Add the green peppers, chillies, and coriander stalks, cook for about 20 seconds.
- Turn down the heat on the pan and add the Bhuna Masala and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Turn the heat up a little and add the tomato paste, cook until reduced to a thickish paste and the oil is starting to separate.
- Add a small ladle of curry base, turn the heat up and let reduce ‘till little craters are forming on the surface. Stir occasionally if sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Now add 2 ladles of base sauce and cook until reduced again.
- You can now add the rest of the base sauce and let it reduce to a thick sauce where craters are forming on the surface.
- You can now add your pre-cooked chicken or lamb, stir in, and let heat through gently for around 8 minutes.
- Add the fresh tomato and a handful of chopped coriander leaf. Heat through for another 5 minutes before serving.
Chicken Bhuna No Base, Traditional Style.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 medium onions finely diced.
- 2 tbsp of garlic & ginger paste or 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped and 1 tablespoon of ginger finely chopped.
- 1 tablespoon of ‘Ome Made Bhuna Masala.
- 6 tomatoes chopped.
- 100 ml water
- 700 g chicken thighs cut into 1’’ cubes.
- 1-2 green chillies sliced (optional)
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander roughly chopped.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan or karahi.
- Add the onion and cook on a gentle heat, stirring often, until the onions are a deep golden colour.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the Bhuna Masala and cook again for 30 seconds, stirring so the spices don’t catch. Add a splash of water if the spices start to stick.
- Add the tomatoes, water, and a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and cook on a moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have broken down and you have a thick sauce.
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Bring to a simmer and then turn down the heat to medium. Put the lid back on a and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, add the lemon juice and chilli, and continue to cook for another 10 minutes so the sauce is clinging to the chicken and the chicken is cooked through.
- Check for seasoning and add salt if needed, add the coriander, and stir through.
- Serve the curry with rice and Indian bread such as chapatti.
Chicken Bhuna Hotel Style
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 small onion finely diced.
- 2 tbsp of garlic & ginger paste or 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped and 1 tablespoon of ginger finely chopped.
- 1 tablespoon of ‘Ome Made Bhuna Masala.
- 700 g chicken thighs cut into 1’’ cubes.
- 4 tbsp tomato puree diluted with water to make a paste like passata.
- 450 ml of hotel gravy
- 700 g chicken thighs cut into 1’’ cubes.
- 4 salad tomatoes cut into quarters.
- 1-2 green chillies sliced (optional)
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander roughly chopped.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan or karahi.
- Add the onion and cook on a gentle heat, stirring often, until the onions are a deep golden colour.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the Bhuna Masala and cook again for 30 seconds, stirring so the spices don’t catch. Add a splash of water if the spices start to stick.
- Add the diluted tomato puree and let reduce to a thick paste
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce.
- Add the hotel gravy to the pan and bring to the simmer. Cook for around 15 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chillies, lemon juice and salt. Cook for a further 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed, add the coriander, and stir through.
- Serve the curry with rice and Indian bread such as chapatti.