Bored of eating regular chicken? Try making Chicken Chettinad

Recipe for Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients

500 grams chicken

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon lime juice

3 medium onions

1 inch ginger

6 cloves garlic

2 sprig curry leaves

2 medium tomatoes

2 tablespoon oil

For Chettinad Spice Mix

1.1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds

4 dry red chilies

4 cardamom

1 teaspoon whole black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 star anise

1 inch cinnamon

4 cloves

1/4 cup grated coconut

tamarind 1/4 the size of a lime and soaked in water

For garnishing

2 sprigs coriander leaves (cilantro)

Instructions

• Keep the whole spices ready.
• Ingredients like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, can significantly alter the flavour balance of the dish.
• Take special care not to add more that the stipulated quantities in this recipe.

Preparations

• Wash the chicken pieces, and cut to small/medium sized pieces.
• Thinly slice the onions. Finely chop tomatoes, ginger, and garlic.
• Add turmeric, salt, lime juice to the chicken and mix well. Keep aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Dry roast the spices in a pan, without the red chillies, on medium flame. Once they start to turn brown, add chillies, and fry for 30 seconds while stirring frequently. The spices should turn golden brown.
• Now add the grated coconut, stir well and fry till the mixture is evenly golden brown. Keep the pan aside to cool.
• In a pressure cooker, heat some oil and fry onions till they turn tender. Add ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well.
• Add chopped tomatoes, stir well, close the lid, and cook on a high flame on pressure cooker mode. Cook until you get the first whistle. Switch off and set aside to cool.
• Transfer the fried spices (it shouldn't be hot) to a mixer jar. Blitz the fried spices in a mixer to fine powder (do not add water).
• Once you have an evenly ground mixture, add 1/4 cup water and blend well. Add the tamarind water and little more water (up to 1/4 cup) and blend until you get a smooth, paste-like consistency.
• Now open the pressure cooker (Don't force open. Wait until the pressure is fully released), and transfer the contents to a pan.
• Add the ground spice paste and mix well. Simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes. Add more water if required and reduce a little.
• Check for salt. Finely chop cilantro (coriander leaves) and garnish.
• Serve hot with rice.