Recipe Name – Chicken Chettinad
Introduction – Chettinad chicken recipe comes from the chettinad region of Tamil nadu. This cuisine is famous for its spicy tangy taste which is sure to win your taste buds. For non veg lovers, this recipe is must try and I guarantee you, life long relationship with chettinad cuisine.
What all do we need?
For Marinating chicken:
- Chicken - 2 kg
- Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoon
- Lemon juice - 2 tablespoon
- Salt – 2 teaspoon
For making Chettinad Masala:
- Star Anise (Chakri phool) - 4-5
- Mace (Javirti phool) - 2
- Stone Flower (Pathhar ka phool) - 2 tablespoon
- Green cardamom - 5-7
- Black cardamom - 2
- Whole dried red chilies - 6-7
- Fennel seeds (Sauf) - 2 tablespoon
- Cumin (Jeera) – 2 tablespoon
- Fenugreek seeds (Methi Dana) ½ teaspoon
- Black pepper corn 15-20
- Cinnamon (Daal chini) - 1 big stick
- Coriander seeds – 2 tablespoon
- Tamarind pulp (Imli ka gooda) - 1 tablespoon
- Sesame oil (til ka tel) - 2 tablespoon
- Desiccated coconut (Nariyal burada) - 1 cup
For Preparing Chettinad chicken:
- Chopped onion – 6 big size onion
- Ginger paste – 2 tablespoon
- Garlic paste – 2 tablespoon
- Sesame oil – ½ cup
- Bay leaf (Tez patta) – 2-3
- Curry leaf – 6-7
- Salt
Method –
- First of all, we will marinate chicken using turmeric, salt and lemon juice. Let chicken marinate for minimum 1 or maximum 2 hour on room temperature. If weather is hot, you can keep it in the refrigerator.
2. Let us now prepare chettinad masala. Take 2 tablespoon sesame oil in the pan and once it is hot enough (not too hot), add all the dry spices except dried red chilies, desiccated coconut and tamarind pulp. Let spices crackle on medium low heat and then add red chilies and desiccated coconut and fry for another minute or 2 till the it is nice golden brown in color and giving nice aroma. Beware to over fry the spices else you may end up burning them.
3. Let this fried spice mixture get cool down and then add tamarind pulp, little water and grind to get the nice thick masala paste.
4. Now it’s time to cook the chicken. Take 1/2 cup sesame oil in the kadhai (cooking pan) and once it is hot enough, add bay leaf, curry leaves and chopped onion and fry till the time onions are nice golden brown in color.
5. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry for another min or two.
6. Finally add prepared chettinad masala and 1-2 cup of water and fry for another 4-5 min on medium low flame or till the time you see oil coming on the top of masala.
7. Finally it’s time to add marinated chicken. Fry chicken with the masala on high flame till the time chicken changes its color.
8. After frying chicken well with the masala, add salt and 4-5 cup of water (as per your preference of thick or thin gravy). Let it come to the boil and then cover and let chicken cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Be careful while adding salt as we also added salt while marinating the chicken.
9. After 15-20 min uncover the cooking pan, taste the gravy for salt and tanginess. Add salt, tamarind pulp and lemon juice (if needed) to achieve that nice tangy taste (not too much though).
10. On high flame, let the extra water of the gravy evaporate. Consistency of gravy is your preference. I personally like little bit of thick gravy.
11. Chicken chettinad is ready. Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with Malabar paratha, roti or even simple paratha.