Chettinad Chicken Kuzhambu

Chettinad cuisine is famous for using various spices and one of the most aromatic food in India. This is one such spicy chicken dish that wakes up all your senses. You can adjust the water to make it a thick curry or more of a kuzhambu. If you have red pearl onions (small onions) substitute that for more authentic taste. I have used chicken thighs as it has much flavor and meat is tender, you can use bone-in or boneless chicken breast. And here goes the hot recipe,

Ingredients:

2 lbs Bone-in Chicken thighs (bite size pieces)

2 medium Red onions (finely chopped)

2 small Tomatoes (chopped)

2 tsp minced Ginger

2 tsp minced Garlic

1 tsp Red Chili powder (or to taste)

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

6-8 Dry Red Chili

2 tsp Coriander seeds

3 Cloves

1 inch Cinnamon stick

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Poppy seeds

1/2 cup grated Coconut

15-20 Curry leaves

2 tbsp Sesame oil

Salt

How to:

• Heat a small skillet and dry roast together the dry red chili, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds and coconut. 
• Once the coconut is dehydrated and turned slightly brown, switch off and let the mixture cool.

• Grind the cooled mixture along with 1/2 a cup water to a smooth paste and keep aside.

• Heat sesame oil in a deep pan, add the onions with a sprinkle of salt and cook until it releases oil.

• Now add the ginger and garlic and cook until raw smell disappears.

• Add the ground paste along with 1/2 cup water and cook for a min.

• Now add the turmeric powder and red chili powder and cook for another min.

• Add the tomatoes and cook until completely mashed up or until the oil is released with the lid open.

• Add the chicken pieces along with curry leaves and more salt and mix well to coat the chicken completely.

• Adding more curry leaves :)

• Cook for 4-5 mins or until the chicken turns white and gets lightly seared.

• Now pour 1-2 cups water depending on the consistency you need and let come to a boil.
• Transfer the curry to a pressure cooker and cook for a whistle. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in the same pan with lid closed for 15-20 mins. (I prefer pressure cooking the bone-in chicken.)

• Switch off and serve hot with rice, dosa or paratha.

The 'No Name' Chicken

This is one of my husband's recipe from his bachelor days. He is very famous for his chicken dishes. One such is the chicken prepared with Shaan masala powders, other than that, the ingredients are pretty simple. He is the one who introduced me to the brand 'Shaan' and now am totally hooked with it. This dish is a big hit among our friends and family. My mom was so surprised with the taste and flavor, and even got his recipe, when she visited us. He makes it extra hot, that literally makes you feel like having a spoonful of sugar after every bite. He learnt it from his Telugu friend, now you know where the heat came from. But you can reduce the green chillies and skip the chilli powder for a little to mild heat. When i asked him, what is the dish called as? He said, it has no name. Hence the name, 'no name'. But i would like to call it as 'Curry leaf Chicken Fry', as he adds a lot of fresh curry leaves at the end and gotta say this, the aroma fills the whole kitchen. He is really a curry leaf fanatic. Did i bore you with so much of details? Alright, today i was his helper and photographer. And here comes the extra hot recipe,

Ingredients:

1 1/2lb Chicken breast fillet (boneless &  skinless)

1 1/2 medium Yellow Onion (chopped)

1 big Green bell pepper (small dice)

6 small Green Chilli (minced)

1 1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

1tsp Garlic (minced)

24 Curry leaves (to be exact)

1/2tsp Turmeric powder

1/2tsp Red Chilli powder

2tbsp Shaan Chicken Curry powder

1tbsp Shaan Tandoori Chicken powder

1tsp Black pepper corns (optional)

1 Black Cardamom (optional)

4-5 small Cloves

2 Cinnamon stick (1")

1tbsp Yogurt (plain)

1tbsp + 2tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Marinate the chicken with yogurt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, shaan powders, peppercorns, black cardamom, 2tsp oil and salt. Let rest for 30 mins.

• Heat the remaining oil in a skillet, add cinnamon, cloves, followed by onions along with salt.

• Saute'em until tender, then add ginger and garlic, continue sautéing until raw smell disappears.

• Then add bell pepper and saute for 4-5 mins, followed by green chillies.

• After a couple more mins, add the marinated chicken, mix well and cook until chicken is tender and the masala is cooked.

• Check salt for taste and add curry leaves and saute for 3-4 mins.

Switch off and serve hot with steamed rice, chapathi or naan.

Curry Leaf Rice

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Basmati rice (cooked)

1 handful Curry leaves 

1tbsp grated Coconut

3 small green chilli

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Dry red chilli (optional)

How to:

• Grind together curry leaves, coconut and green chilli along with water and make a watery paste(chutney like texture).

• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, followed by the ground mixture.

• Cook until water is completely evaporated, along with salt  and the mixture is left dry.
• Check salt for taste and switch off the flame. 

• Now add the cooked rice and mix well so as to coat each grain of the rice with the curry leaf mixture.

Serve hot with raita or chips.

Red Bell Pepper Chutney

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper (large)

4-5 dry red chilli

3 garlic pods

5-6 curry leaves

2-3 pieces tamarind

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Asafoetida (hing)

Salt

Oil

Tadka:

4-5 curry leaves

2 dry red chilli (broken)

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp urad dal

1tsp cumin seeds

1 pinch Asafoetida

How to:

• Wash and dice the red bell pepper, and keep it aside.
• In a skillet, heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add urad dal, dry red chilli, curry leaves and hing. Then add garlic pods.
• Now add the bell pepper and saute along with tamarind and cook until it turns tender.

• Let the mixture cool and coarse grind it along with salt for taste.

• Now, heat oil in a pan, add the tadka ingredients, saute and add it to the chutney.

Serve with idly or dosa.

Okra roast / Lady's finger roast

Ingredients:

12.8 oz Okra (0.8lb) (sliced)

1/4 Yellow onion (thinly sliced)

3 garlic pods (sliced)

3 dry red chilli

6 curry leaves

1tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1tbsp Chilli powder

1 1/2 Coriander powder

Salt

Oil

How to:

• In a skillet, heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, cumin seeds and dry red chilli.
• Add onions along with salt and saute well.

• Then add curry leaves and garlic saute till you get nice aroma.

• When onions are golden brown, add the okra, mix well and cook.

• When okra turns tender, add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and chili powder,mix well and slow roast it.

• Roast till its crispy enough.

• You can switch off the flame and serve or roast further more.(below pic)

Serve hot and crispy as an appetizer or with rice.