Chicken Curry - A Kerala touch

We started this weekend with a dinner party at our home, invited few of our friends gang staying near Ashfield. This wasn't much a planned party; was all in hurry-burry. I started cooking preparations a bit late; but managed to finish in time.

As a true Malayalee, I preferred to make Kerala cuisines. I prepared Puttu, Vellappam, Rice, Parippu curry, Mutton Pepper fry, Chicken curry. But there was a twist when it came to desserts. Due to time constraint, I decided not to make anything sweet this time. We both had earlier came to an agreement that whenever we have a party, I wasn't supposed to make the routine payasam; but instead to serve our guests with western cuisine desserts. Even before starting this blog, I've made few good desserts and got a thumps up to go for those ones. Then thought about the simplest Pannacotta  and called up Sathya to bring me thickened cream.

I made Rosewater Pannacotta for dessert just 2 hours before the guests arrived. Poured in individual ramekins for that to set & placed in refrigerator. Dyuti was busy playing and didn't come to the kitchen for the usual rounds. She was not aware what I was doing in there. When I gave her the Pannacotta, she asked me "Amma, who made it?". She was very much surprised when I told her and was telling me "Oh, you made this Amma.. Wow !!" Now isn't that sweet of her. So much innocence in our kids !!

This chicken curry is almost similar to the way all our Mom's make back in Kerala :) I've made slight variations and made it in my style.

Here goes the Kerala Chicken curry recipe. Adding coconut milk is not mandatory as the gravy would get thicken with the onion tomato paste. For the Kerala touch, I would recommend adding coconut milk or just the plain ground coconut paste. Have to say the mutton pepper fry and chicken curry was loved by all by seeing the empty bowls :)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 no (large)
Onions - 4 finely sliced (medium)
Tomatoes - 3 sliced
Oil - I used coconut oil
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red hot chilli powder - 1 tsp
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup

Chicken Marinade:

Chicken - cut into pieces
Turmeric Powder - 3/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 3 (slit lengthwise)
Pepper Powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Chopped Curry leaves - a sprig

Marinate chicken pieces for at least an hour.

Spices to grind to a smooth paste:

Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 2 (1 inch stick)
Cardamom seeds- 2 pods
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 5 cloves
Lemon juice - half of a lemon

Grind the spices along with ginger, garlic and lemon juice to a smooth paste.

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and sauté till translucent.
• Add sliced tomatoes and sauté till it turns soft.
• Grind the sautéed onions and tomatoes mixture to a very fine paste.

• In the same pan, pour some oil and when hot, add the spice, ginger, garlic mixture  paste.
• Let the raw smell goes off from the mixture and the spice aroma spreads around.
• Add the onions tomato paste and fry for few minutes.
• Add half teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 tsp red hot chilli powder and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add the chicken marinade and fry for 5 minutes.
• Pour a cup of water and close with a lid. Make sure to stir in between.
• When chicken is almost cooked, add the thin coconut milk. I made it by grinding half cup frozen grated coconut with water.
• Let it boil for few minutes and switch off the flame.
• Temper the gravy by frying chopped onions in coconut oil and then add it in to the gravy.