Bhuna

also called bhoona · chicken bhuna · bhuna gosht · bhoona gosht · bhunna

The table

1 1/2 lb(680 g; cut in 2-in pieces)boneless chicken thighssear 6 min, until it takes colourfry in 5 minbloom 30 sec off the heatfry down 20 min, until the oil breaks out at the sidestoss through off the heat
3 Tbs(42 g)ghee
1 1/2 cups(360 g; the base recipe)onion-tomato masala
2 tspground cumin
2 tspground coriander
2 tspKashmiri chile powder
1 tspgaram masala
1 Tbs(16 g)tomato paste
1/4 cup(60 mL)water
1 1/2 tspkosher salt
3 Tbs(chopped)cilantro
1(slit)green chile
2 tsplemon juice
Bhuna is a verb before it is a dish — bhunao is the frying-down itself the thing every other curry on this list does for five minutes and this one does for twenty. It is the driest line on the board and the one to order if you are eating with bread rather than rice. Lamb wants the same treatment after an hour of braising; prawns want the sauce finished first and four minutes at the end
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1sear 6 min, until it takes colour

2fry in 5 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3bloom 30 sec off the heat

goes in with what step 2 made

4fry down 20 min, until the oil breaks out at the sides

goes in with what step 3 made

5toss through off the heat

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 32 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
32 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 55 min.

  1. sear 6 min, until it takes colour

    6 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. fry in 5 min

    5 minneeds you6 min in

  3. bloom 30 sec off the heat

    30 secneeds you11 min in

  4. fry down 20 min, until the oil breaks out at the sides

    20 minneeds you12 min in

  5. toss through off the heat

    not timed32 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need heavy pan

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Bhuna
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: chicken, indian, dry, tomato, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: bhoona, chicken bhuna, bhuna gosht, bhoona gosht, bhunna
>> pairs-with: onion-tomato-masala, chapati, pilau-rice
>> servings: 4
>> time: 55 min
>> step.1: sear 6 min, until it takes colour
>> step.2: fry in 5 min
>> step.3: bloom 30 sec off the heat
>> step.4: fry down 20 min, until the oil breaks out at the sides
>> step.5: toss through off the heat

Sear @boneless chicken thighs{1 1/2%lb}(680 g; cut in 2-in pieces) in @ghee{3%Tbs}(42 g) in a wide #heavy pan{} over high heat ~sear{6%min}, until the pieces have colour on two sides.

Fry @onion-tomato masala{1 1/2%cup}(360 g; the base recipe) into @&(~1)seared chicken{} ~fry{5%min}.

Bloom @ground cumin{2%tsp}, @ground coriander{2%tsp}, @Kashmiri chile powder{2%tsp} and @garam masala{1%tsp} in @&(~1)pan{} off the heat ~stir{30%sec}.

Fry @&(~1)curry{} down with @tomato paste{1%Tbs}(16 g), @water{1/4%cup}(60 mL) and @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp} ~fry{20%min}, scraping the pan and letting it stick and be scraped again, until the water has gone and a clear ring of oil stands at the sides.

Toss @cilantro{3%Tbs}(chopped), @green chile{1}(slit) and @lemon juice{2%tsp} through @&(~1)bhuna{} off the heat.

Bhuna is a verb before it is a dish — bhunao is the frying-down itself, the thing every other curry on this list does for five minutes and this one does for twenty. It is the driest line on the board and the one to order if you are eating with bread rather than rice. Lamb wants the same treatment after an hour of braising; prawns want the sauce finished first and four minutes at the end.