Lahori murgh cholay
Serves: 4
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Toby Scott
Lahori murgh cholay
Recipe by Chet Sharma
‘Lahori murgh cholay (chicken and chickpea curry) was a dish often served in my grandfather’s house. He was part of the generation that suffered through the partition of India, so cooking dishes of what is now the Pakistani city of Lahore was always his way of revisiting his ancestral home,' says chef Chet Sharma
Serves: 4
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
940Kcal
Fat
49gr
Saturates
23gr
Carbs
42gr
Sugars
8gr
Fibre
12gr
Protein
76gr
Salt
2.9gr
Chet Sharma
A former development chef at acclaimed restaurants Moor Hall and L’Enclume, Chet opened Bibi, in London’s Mayfair, last year to huge acclaim. His menus focus on lesser-known Indian dishes, presented with a very modern twist.
See more of Chet Sharma’s recipes
Chet Sharma
A former development chef at acclaimed restaurants Moor Hall and L’Enclume, Chet opened Bibi, in London’s Mayfair, last year to huge acclaim. His menus focus on lesser-known Indian dishes, presented with a very modern twist.
See more of Chet Sharma’s recipes
Ingredients
- 250g dried chickpeas
- 2 tbsp dried red lentils
- ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
For the ginger paste
- 5cm root ginger, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
For the curry
- 125g vegetable oil (or ghee*)
- 1.35kg chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
- ½ tbsp sea salt flakes, plus extra as needed
- 3 red onions, sliced
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered (optional)
- small handful coriander leaves, chopped
Step by step
- The day before cooking, rinse the chickpeas and lentils, place in a large bowl and soak in cold water overnight.
- Rinse the pulses thoroughly and drain. Add to a large saucepan with 1 litre cold water and the baking powder and bring to the boil. Cook on a low simmer for 1 hour 15 – 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender but not starting to break down (the lentils will break down). Add more water if required.
- Place the ginger paste ingredients in a small food processor with 125ml water and blend until smooth.
- Add the ghee to a large saucepan or sauté pan and heat over a high heat until beginning to smoke. Season the chicken with flaky salt, then brown on all sides until deep golden; about 8-10 minutes. Set aside on a plate.
- Add the onions to the fat remaining in the pan, lower the heat and cook until light golden. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns and half the coriander seeds. Continue to cook the onions until deep golden. Add the ginger paste to the pan; take care as it will bubble vigorously. Continue to cook until the fat separates out; about 8-10 minutes over a medium heat.
- Return the chicken to the pan with ½ tablespoon salt flakes and stir to coat. Stir through the cooked chickpeas and lentils, along with the remaining coriander seeds and the garam masala. Simmer for a further 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to catch on the pan.
- Check the chicken is cooked through and tender, by removing a little meat from the bone. The meat should pull away with little resistance. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required. Top with the boiled eggs, if using.
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Serve in a large bowl, garnished with the coriander. Any leftovers can be chilled for 2-3 days; reheat with a splash of water until piping hot.
*Use vegetable oil, not ghee, if dairy-free.
