Chettinad Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 - 1 1/2 lb (Chopped into medium size pieces)
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Shallots - 3/4 cup (Chopped)
• Tomato - 1 big
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Chilly powder/sambhar powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chillies - 2
• Mustard -1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt for taste

To Fry & Grind (for the masala)

• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Corriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Shallot - 10 medium size 0r 15 small size
• Curry leaves - 1 - 2 springs
• Red Chillies - 6 or adjust
• Pepper Corns - 1/2 tsp
• Khus khus - 3/4 tsp
• Ani seed - 1 tbsp
• Cardamom- 2
• Cloves - 2-3
• Cinnamon - 2 inches
• Turmaric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coconut - 1/4 Cup+2 tbsp

Method

• Except onion, turmaric powder & coconut, fry all the masala ingredients with little oil & keep it aside.
• Add some oil & fry onion.
• When it turns slight brown switch off the flame & add the coconut.
• Add the previously fried masala ingredients, with the onion masala & grind it with turmeric powder.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, red chillies & curry leaves one by one.
• Add shallots and fry till becomes brown in color.
• Add ginger-garlic paste & fry till the oil separates
• Now add the tomato & fry till it becomes mashy.
• Add the chicken pieces & fry well.
• Add chilly powder & salt.
• Fry for 3 minutes or till the oil separates.
• Now add the grinded masala to the chicken pieces.
• Mix well & add water if needed.
• Cover & cook till the chicken pieces are tender.
• Remove it from flame, when the gravy reaches the desire consistency.

Tips for the recipe - Don't over fry the masala ingredients. Don't add too much of water to the curry & don't allow the gravy to cook for a long time. If it cooks for a long time, then the original flavor of the masala will be lost. Fry the chicken well in the masala, so that it is half done already. It will become tender soon in the gravy.