“The green (hara) in the perfumed Hara Masala comes from fresh mint and cilantro leaves
1/2 cup Hara Masala
1/4 cup plain yogurt, whisked
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Usha Raikar’s garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup shredded fresh coconut; or 1/4 cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut, reconstituted.
1. Combine the Hara masala, yogurt, and salt in a medium size bowl. Add the chicken strips, and toss to coat them well. refrigerate, covered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, to allow the flavors to permeate the meat.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the onion and stir-fry until it is light brown around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato, garam masala, and turmeric. Stew, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomato softens and the mixture appears sauce like but still chunky, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, marinade and all, and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, unti the meat is no longer pink inside, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. While the chicken is simmering, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium size skillet over medium high heat. Add the remaining onion and stir fry until it is light brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and scrape the skillet to deglaze it, releasing the browned bits of onion and coconut. Transfer this mixture to a blender and puree, scraping the inside of the jar asneeded, to form a slightly gritty paste.
5. Add the paste to the cooked chicken, stir once or twice and serve.
Note: to reconstitute coconut, cover with 1/4 cup boiling water, set aside for about 15 minutes, and then drain.
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