Kovai Kozhi Kuzhambu / Spicy Chicken Curry/ Gravy

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.