Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20- 25 minutes

Marinating time: at least 15 minutes

Recipes cuisine: South Indian/ Kongu Nadu

Ingredients

                                  

Onion -1 medium (finely chopped)

Tomato – 2 nos. (finely chopped)

Ginger garlic paste – 1tbsp

Salt to taste

Marinating Chicken:

                                     

Chicken (skinless) – 500gms

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Curd / yogurt – ¼ cup

Salt – ¼ tsp

To Roast & Grind:

                           

Oil -1 tsp

Dried Red chilies – 4 nos.

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Black pepper corns – 1tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/4tsp

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Poppy seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green cardamom – 2

Cloves – 4nos.

Cinnamon – 2 stick

Desi dry coconut – ¼ cup (grated or shredded)

Pearl onion/shallots – 5 nos.

Tempering:

Oil – 1tbsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds/ jeera – ½ tsp

Fennel seeds – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 1 strand

                       

Method

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly then drain the excess water and marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt & curd and keep it in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

• Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a small pan, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, pepper corns and dry red chillies and roast in medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until flavor comes, Once it done then add small onions and dry coconut roast in medium heat for another 1 minutes.

• After that grind all the roasted ingredients(spices,coconut & onions) using generous amount of water to a smooth paste and keep aside.

• Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai or in a pressure cooker, when it heated add mustard seeds allow to splutter, then add fennel seeds, cumin and curry leaves.

• Now add chopped onions and saute till the onions turns light golden brown (caramelize).

• And then add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw flavour goes off, now add finely chopped tomatoes and saute till it woes out its moisture.

• Then add chicken pieces and ground masala paste and saute the chicken with masala for 3-4 minutes in medium high heat.

• After that add generous amount water (to desired consistency) and salt to taste and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles or simply cover your kadai / cooker with lid and cook until raw flavour of masala goes off and when the chicken get tender.

• Garnish with fresh cilantro, mint & curry leaves.

• Serve it hot with Idly/Dosa/chapathi/naan/ or with steamed rice.

I served with both rice & chappathi (Indian bread)!!!!!!!!!