Chettinad Chicken

One of the most flavorful chicken dishes of South India. It's distinctively known for its spice and aroma.
When you really need a spicy chicken dish in a restaurant, Chettinad chicken will be the first choice for most of them. If you cook your spices in the right way this dish turns out so good even at home. Try this recipe as it is easy and very very tasty. My husband was the one who made this first time and all these final pictures were taken from his cooking.

Preparation Time :15 mins| Cooking Time : 25 mins| Serves : 4

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Ingredients:

Chicken - 2 lbs/ 1 kg (approx)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - from 1/2 lemon

Salt as needed

Small onions/Pearl onions/Red onions - 1 cup chopped

Curry leaves

Cashews - 1/4 cup

Red Chili - 5 nos

Nallenai/Oil - 1/2 cup or as needed

For Masala:

Dania - 1 tbsp

Red chili  - 6 nos

Black Pepper - 1/2 tbsp

Jeera - 1/2 tbsp

Sombu/Fennel - 1/2 tbsp

Garlic cloves - 3 nos

Bay leaf - 1 

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Cloves - 5 to 6 

Green Cardamom - 3 nos

Star anise - 1

Kalpasi/dagad phool/stone flower - 1 piece

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 1 inch

Vendayam/Methi - 1/4 tsp

Tamarind - a small piece

Method:

• Marinate chicken with a little salt, lemon, and turmeric.

• Roast the masala ingredients with a bit of oil, add coconut at last,
  and fry until light brown. No need to fry ginger, methi, and tamarind. Cool them and grind them to a fine paste.

• In a kadai add oil and fry the onions and curry leaves.

• Add the marinated chicken and cook for 3 to 4 mins.

• Add the ground masala, mix them all together. Add salt (remember you have added some salt to the chicken)

• Add little water if needed, close, and cook them for 20 mins.

• In a pan add some oil and fry the cashews, red chili, and curry leaves. Pour it on top of the gravy. This step is completely optional but gives a richness to the gravy.

• Switch off and rest it for a while. Serve with Murthaba/Egg parrota/Dosa/Roti/Rice........