Chicken Chettinad

Inspired by a South Indian meal I had the other day at a restaurant in Little India, I wanted to replicate this spicy chicken curry at home. After googling many a recipe (every recipe was different), this is my spin on the Chettinad Chicken curry, which apparently has no short cuts, but I have added dry spices in powder form to keep the grinding work to minimal.

Ingredients

Chicken 1 kilo (thigh, boneless and skinless)

Onions - 3 finely chopped

Tomato - 2 finely chopped

Ginger and Garlic paste - 2 tablespoon

Curry leaves - 20

Green chillies whole - 5

Coconut Milk trim - 1/2 pkt

Oil - 4 tbsp

Salt to taste

Coriander powder - 1.5 tablespoon

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 heaped tablespoons

Elaichi or cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon powder -1/4 tsp

turmeric powder -1/2tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onion and fry until golden brown.

Add tomatoes, curry leaves, green chillies and all the dry ingredients and cook until you get a well cooked masala that looks like this:

Add Chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook the chicken, stirring now and again on until the chicken is tender.

add coconut milk and cook for another 10 minutes covered on low flame.

Switch off the flame, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Egg Curry

This one is actually inspired from my mother's recipe. I remember her relying on this dish whenever she was short of ideas as to what to cook for lunch or dinner. This recipe is unique in that the eggs are poached in the rich gravy rather than boiled and added.

Ingredients:

Eggs - 4
Onion - 1 chopped finely/paste
Tomato - 1 chopped finely/paste
ginger and garlic paste - 1tbsp
turmeric powder - 1tsp
cumin powder - 1tsp
coriander powder - 1tsp
Red chili powder - 1tsp (optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Heat oil in a pan, add onion and brown lightly. Add the ginger garlic paste, stir for a couple of minutes and then add the tomato paste. Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin and chilli powder to the pan, add a spoonful of water if the paste is sticking to the pan. Fry for another 2 minutes and then add two cups water and Salt. Mix well. cover and cook on medium flame for about 5 minutes.

Break the eggs one at a time straight into the pan. Lower the flame before you start to add the eggs. Cover and cook if you like the yolks well cooked, I personally prefer to cook it uncovered just until the whites are cooked and then cover the pan and switch off the flame.

The result is yummy gooey yolks in delicious gravy. You can serve this with toast, pita or steamed rice.... whatever takes your fancy.

Try it and I'm sure you will not be disappointed !