Spicy South Indian Chicken Curry

Kerala cuisines are a great favorite with my husband. So when ever we have non south Indian guests, he insists that I make some keralite cuisine.His argument is to feed them sometime different. 

Over the years a lot of people have told me about the number of similarities that exits between the Mallu's and the Bong's. The love for fish and food ball, leftist government, wavy hair etc etc. This comparability does not extend to the cuisines for sure. I love swinging between both the worlds...

Here goes a simple Kerala Chicken Curry. This various is without the coconut milk -

You Need :- 

Chicken :- 1 Kg

Curry Leaves :- 1 sprig

Onions :- 2 Large 

Ginger :- 1.5 inch

Garlic :- 20 cloves

Flannel Seeds :- 1 tsp. 

Cardamom :- 4 No's

Cloves :- 4 No's

Cinnamon :- 1 inch

Regular Red chilli Pd :- 1.5 tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilli Pd :- 2 tsp

Coriander Pd :- 1 tsp heaped.

Turmeric Pd :- 1/2 spoon

Pepper Pd :- 2 tsp

Garam Masala :- 1tsp

Tomatos :- 2 No's

Whole Chilli :- 2 No.

Mustard Seeds:- 1 tsp

Tamarind Pulp :- 1 Tb sp

Salt :- As per taste

 

Preparation Method :-

1. Marinade the chicken with Salt, both variety of Chilli Pd, Coriander powder, Flannel Pd ( Dry Roast the flannel seeds and powder), Garam Masala. Keep it aside for 2 hours.

2. In a kadai, add 2 tb sp of oil and heat. Add curry leaves, Red Chillies, Mustard seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.

3. Fry for a few minutes and add finely chopped onions. Fry till the onions are translucent.

3. Add grated ginger and garlic. Fry well.

4. Add the diced tomatoes and pepper powder. Fry till the tomatoes are mushy.

5. At this stage add the marinated chicken and mix it well with the masala. Do not add any water.

6. Add the tamarind paste/pulp.

6. Continue stirring. Check on the salt. If needed add more salt. The chicken will release some water as it cooks.

7. Cover and cook till the chicken is done.

Titbits

1. You can cook it in the pressure cooker if you want to reduce gas consumption. But it is tastier cooked in the kadai.

2. Can be served with Rice, Chappatis, Appam.

3. I prefer it dry. You can add a cup of warm water while cooking the chicken, if you like more gravy.

Home Style MicroovenTandoori Chicken

From the time immemorial Tandoori Chicken has held a firm position in my list of favorite comfort food. Innumerable days have seen me indulging in Tandoori Chicken and a glass of red wine with a movie for dinner. I even judge most North Indian restaurants by the quality of the Tandoori Chicken they are able to dish out.

The juicy chicken with the aroma of several spices and slight burnt flavour will never go out of fashion for me...

Last weekend out of the blue my "not so enthused about Tandoori Chicken " husband had a craving for the same. And he made himself very handy around in the kitchen ( Lucky Me !!!!). Thank fully he let me handle the marination and I let him do the grilling. And I must say that a successful joint venture it was .... 

You need :-

1. Skinless Chicken :- 600 grms ( I have used only the breast peices )
2. Yogurt :- 3 tb sp
3. Lemon Juice :- 2 tb sp
4. Kashmiri Chilli Pd :- 1 tbsp
5. Garlic Paste :- 1 tsp
6. Ginger Paster :- 2 tsp
7. Cumin Seeds :- 1 tbsp. Dry fried and coarsely ground
8. Coriander Powder :- 1 tsp
9. Garam Masala :- 1 tbsp
10. Ghee ( Clarified butter ) :- 1tbsp
11. Kasuri Methi ( Dried Fenugreek leaves ) :- 1 tbsp
12. Chilli Pd :- 2 tsp
13. Salt :- As per taste
14. Chat Masala :- 1 tsp

Method :-

• Throughly wash and chicken and trim the fat.
• Using a sharp knife cut slashes across the chicken

1st Marinade

• Apply and mixture of yogurt, Kashmiri chilli pd and lemon juice to the chicken and marinade the same for 15 to 30 minutes.

 2nd Marinade

• Add the ingredites 5 to 13 one by one to the chicken peices. Smear it well and marinade from atleast an hour. Over night marinations works best.

   

Marinated Chicken



Cooking Method :-

• Place the marinaded tandoori chicken on the the grill tray ( normally given with the microoven startup kit ).
• Choose the combination of Convection+grill and cook for 10 minutes. Turn once after 5 minutes.
• Cook in grill for 20 minutes. Turn after every five minutes. Brush oil and sprinkle a pinch of chat  masala while turning the food.
• Serve hot with green chutney, sliced cucumber & onions and lime wedges.

Tit Bits :-

• You can use food color for the restruant like look. I prefer the Kashmiri Mirch which lends a nice red color.