Chicken Dopyaza on Rice

The Food

Dopyaza, which is Hindi for 'twice the onion', is a type of curry from Northern Indian/ Hindustani cuisine. Take some whole Bay leaves, a three inch Cinnamon stick, Coriander Seeds, Cloves (whole and leaf), Curry leaves, Black Cardamom, Fennel seeds, Star Anise, and some powdered Turmeric and fry these for about two minutes, until the spices are fragrant but not burnt. Add in roughly chopped garlic, then roughly diced onion, to form the base of the curry.

After the onions are soft and tender, add in crushed tomatoes and their juices. Bring the pot to a boil, meanwhile butchering the chicken into medium sized pieces. Here, only chicken thighs, with skin on, were used.

Add in more roughly chopped onions.

Add the chicken into the boiling curry with salt. Cook on high for a bit, then lower heat to a simmer to cook the chicken through.

Served with rice and garnished with cilantro.

The Flavor

In this dish, spice is the spice of life. But it isn't the capsaicin sort of blow-your-mouth-off heat, but instead a complex sweetness, earthiness, and a special melody of flavor.

The tomatoes and onions add an extra sweetness They also lend a necessary body to the curry, making it easy to mix into the plain rice, helping it absorb and act as a foil to the dopyaza.

Of course, the star of the show is the chicken.

The delectable fat of the soft skin accompanied by the juicy thigh meat, which you can't help but sink your teeth into, are both delicious and nutritious! The cilantro garnish brings a welcome freshness to the bite, completing it.

The Feeling

I broke a rule of food photography here.

Rule #5 - Do not eat the food before you take the pic

But it was SO GOOD you guys! I couldn't wait to take a bite. Plus, I think there's something visually appealing about a chicken drumstick with a big honking munch. Maybe that's just me, but sometimes it's okay to break the rules.

That's true for both photography and cooking curries. It's okay and can be cool to break the rules... No real need to keep the spices the exact same. Maybe even add some vegetables, too.