Chettinad Chicken Curry!!!

Hi guys!!!

Chicken is something I prepare twice a week. Just to make sure that I am not always stuck with repeatedly making biryani, I try to prepare different chicken curries. While being on this subject, I have to tell you guys that I came up with my very own version of Cashew Chicken curry, which I prepared for dinner yesterday. How I ended up with the ingredients I actually used was a pure accident :-) I will be posting the recipe soon!!!

Now getting back to Chettinad chicken curry.. I have never really experimented with chettinad dishes. The reason being very simple.. I AM LAZY!!!! The basic success of a chettinad recipe lies in using fresh ground masala. Not that it takes a long time, but why take the effort to grind a masala when you can prepare humpty number of curries with just the masala powders you always have in the kitchen??!!! Well, once I tried this curry I came to the conclusion that the extra few minutes is sure worth it. The curry was simply divine and tastes great with both rotis and plain rice. This recipe is definitely a keeper and am gonna make sure I prepare it quite often!!!

Now off to the recipe.

Ingredients:
Serves 2 people

Chicken - 250 gms
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 1 big
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

To grind to a masala powder:
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 5
Cardamom - 2 or 3 pods
Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Whole pepper - 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 8 (adjust according to taste)
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/2 tbsp

To season/ For tadka:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a bunch
Broken red chillies - 3 or 4

Procedure:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients required to grind masala powder except the coconut till they start to release a nice aroma. When they are done, remove them from heat and in the same kadai add the 1/2 tbsp oil and roast the grated coconut till it changes color. Now let all this cool for a while and grind to a powder.
2. Now in the same kadai add the rest of the oil and saute the chopped onions followed by ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook till they blend and form a paste.
3. Next add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Then add the chicken pieces and mix well.
4. When the chicken is half cooked add the ground masala powder (I had to eyeball the measurement. If there is excess powder you can use it in any chettinad curry). Close the kadai and let it cook for around 15 mins.
5. Stir in between to avoid sticking. Add water only if necessary. When the chicken is well cooked and properly blended with the masala, prepare the tadka. (heat oil and add the items listed for tadka)
6. Add the tadka to the curry and switch off heat.

Serve hot with rice or rotis!!!