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Kukura aru Kola Til

Chicken in a nutty, dark gravy of roasted black sesame — a traditional Assamese and Bodo favourite.

Ingredients

• 750 g chicken, curry cut
• 4 tbsp black sesame seeds (kola til)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 4 green chillies
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds on low heat till they crackle and smell nutty. Cool and grind into a fine paste with a little water.
2. Heat mustard oil, fry onions till soft and golden.
3. Add ginger and garlic paste, sauté 2 minutes.
4. Add chicken, turmeric, chillies and salt. Cook on high 6–8 minutes.
5. Add 1 cup water, cover and cook 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the sesame paste and simmer 8–10 minutes until thick and dark. Serve hot.

Tip: Roast the sesame on low heat — burnt sesame makes the whole dish bitter.