Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients

Chicken - 750 gms (with bones, cut into medium pieces)

For Marination

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 2 1/2 tsp

Lemon - 1 medium size

For Chettinad Masala

Corriander Seeds - 1 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp

Fennel Seeds - 1 Tbsp

Cinnamon - 1"

Green Cardamom - 2 nos

Black Peppercorns - 10-12 nos

Cloves - 5-6 nos

Red Chillies - 4 nos

Ginger - 1Tbsp (roughly chopped)

Garlic - 1 Tbsp (roughly chopped)

Poppy Seeds - 2 Tsp

Grated Coconut - 1 cup (freshly grated coconut)

For Curry

Onions - 3 medium (finely chopped)

Tomato - 4 medium (boiled and skin removed)

Oil - 5 Tbsp

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Instructions

1. Clean and wash chicken thoroughly. Place it in a bowl
2. Add juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt.
3. Mix well and keep in refrigrator for 30 minutes
4. In a small pan and put it on medium heat. Take 1 tbsp of oil. Saute corriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns for 5 minutes or until fragrant
5. Add chopped ginger and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes
6. Add poppy seeds and grated coconut. Saute well for 4-5 minutes
7. Add 1/4 cup of water and continue to saute till water almost evaporated
8. Allow the masala to cool
9. Make light slits on the tomato lengthwise. Boil these for 10 minutes. Once cooled, remove skin and chop these roughly, keep it aside
10. Finely chop onion and keep aside
11. Grind cooled masala finely in the blender with little water. Adjust water so that masala is finely ground
12. In a pan, take 4 tbsp of oil
13. Once oil is heated, added finely chopped onion. Saute until onion turns brown. Add 10-12 curry leaves and saute for a minute
14. Add ground masala and fry it well unless it starts releasing oil. Add little water while frying so that masala does not turn dry
15. Add boiled and chopped tomato and saute well until tomato gets well blended with masala
16. Add chicken. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes
17. Add very little water, 1 1/2 tsp salt and cook covered for 5 minutes
18. Adjust water if the curry is too dry and cook for another 2-3 minutes
19. Add 1/2 lemon juice, mix well
20. Serve with curry leaves