Classic Cookbooks: Chicken with Sliced Lemon and Fried Onions

Ingredients

• 0.1 teaspoon ground pepper 
• 4 cloves garlic peeled coarsely chopped
• 1 piece ginger fresh peeled coarsely chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1  optional: lemon whole
• 3 medium onion 
• 0.1 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons yogurt plain
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 3 pounds squirrels bone-in skinless (I used all thighs; it's easy to remove the skin yourself, if you can't find , parts)
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 4 tablespoons tomato sauce 
• 8 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used only 6)

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• paper towels
• pot
• blender
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. If the chicken pieces are skin-on, remove the skin. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Peel the onions. Chop two of them coarsely and put them into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
3. Cut the third one in half lengthwise, then slice it into thin half-rounds and set aside.
4. Add 6 tablespoons of water, the ginger, and the garlic to the onions in the food processor or blender and blend at high speed until you have a smooth paste.
5. Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil (I used
6. in a 10-12 inch pot over medium-high flame. When hot, put in the sliced onions and fry them, stirring, until they are darkish brown and crisp, though not burned.
7. Remove onions with a slotted spoon and leave them to drain on paper towels.
8. In the same oil, brown the chicken pieces on all sides until they are golden. Do this speedily over high flame so the chicken browns but does not cook through. I did the thighs about 2 minutes per side. You will need to do it in at least 2 batches.
9. Remove the chicken with slotted spoon to a bowl or plate.
10. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot.
11. Pour in the paste from the blender (turn your face away!). Stirring, fry on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the paste turns a nice golden brown. Now put in the coriander, cumin, and turmeric and fry, stirring continuously; after another 2 minutes add yogurt, a teaspoon at a time; after 2 or 3 minutes, the tomato sauce, a tablespoon at a time, continuing to stir and fry. Finally, add salt, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
12. Cut the lemon into 4 or 5 slices, discarding the end pieces, and remove the seeds.
13. Add lemon slices along with the chicken pieces, fried onions, sugar, and the ground pepper to the sauce, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender, turning the pieces every now and then. If chicken sticks to the bottom of pot, add a little more water. You should end up with a very thick sauce. (My sauce was thick but also copious and in no danger of sticking. I don’t know if it was correct, but it tasted good.)