Chettinad Chicken
There are many versions of this popular South Indian dish from Chettinad, Tamilnadu. It is a spicy, peppery chicken dish with a tang of tamarind and garnished with curry leaves and dried red chillies. Tomatoes were not used in traditional Indian food but are being used in most of the Indian recipes now. The reason why the dry masalas are added with water after the chicken is initially cooked for a couple of minutes in the onion, ginger and garlic mixture is to prevent them from burning and smoking. This is a version shown to me by my friend Nimi Ravindran. The curry leaves and dried chillies should also retain their colour when they are used as a garnish.
Ingredients
- 1 kg dressed chicken
- 2 onions (approx 200gms)
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp pepper powder
- 3 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 sprigs curry leaves
- 10 dried red chillies
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste or a little tamarind soaked in water
Servings: people
Instructions
- Skin and cut chicken into medium size pieces
- Chop onions into small pieces
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add cloves and cinnamon and heat until the aroma is released
- Add the chopped onions and sauté until light brown. Add ginger and garlic paste and sauté for a minute on low heat
- Add chicken and sauté for 3 minutes without adding water
- Add 1 ½ cups water, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, tamarind paste and salt to taste. Cook until chicken is tender
- Heat the remaining oil. Add curry leaves and dried chillies. Switch off heat and pour over the chicken