Chettinad Chicken Curry {Chicken In A Spicy, Roasted Coconut Curry}

Chettinad cuisine from Tamil Nadu is known for its spicy and delectable creations. There are many variations of roasted coconut curries in the South, but the Chettinad one is special because of the use of a host of aromatic spices.

The spice list consists of dried red chilis, coriander, cumin, fennel, black pepper, cloves, cardamom and a special one called kalpasi or black stone flower. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the last one, so I decided to go ahead and substitute with a bit of star anise.

The ready-made Chettinad spice blends may contain this spice in them. But even if the thought of roasting and grinding your spices may sound daunting, it is very quick and easy and you don’t need to use the ready-made powders. So go ahead with whatever you have on hand making sure you have the absolute essentials like red chilis, coriander, cumin, black pepper and a bit of garam masala powder (if you are unable to find all the individual spices). And don’t forget freshly grated coconut and a lot of curry leaves. I love coconut curries because of the special aroma and mainly because the leftovers are absolutely amazing. I always say this, but really, Indian food makes for the best leftovers. And any curry made with roasted coconut only gets better the next day, when the flavors have had time to develop and the curry itself thickens and coats the chicken pieces beautifully.

This curry goes excellently with plain rice, no fancy pulaos or fried rice are needed. I also love this with our traditional South Indian breads like dosas or appams. It goes exceptionally well with the slightly thick, soft dosas. For me, the crispy, paper-thin dosas are a breakfast essential, but lunch/dinner time with a nice gravy calls for softer dosas so that you can use them to literally wipe your plate clean.

If you do not know how to make dosas or did not plan ahead for it, go ahead and serve this curry with rice or rotis. It is so good, whatever you pair it with. This curry is such a lovely base not only for chicken, but any other meat and also for vegetables. Sometimes I make it with just potatoes and add a few boiled eggs if the hubby asks for some protein!

CHETTINAD CHICKEN CURRY {CHICKEN IN A SPICY ROASTED COCONUT CURRY}

You will need:

To marinate the chicken,

• Chicken – 1 lb, around 500 gm
• Yogurt – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder – a pinch
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Lemon/lime juice – 2 tsp

To dry roast and grind (see Notes too)

• Whole dried red chilis – 6-8 (as per heat level desired. If you are still apprehensive, I suggest using just 4-5)
• Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper corns – 1-2 tsp ( depends on your heat level, but do not skip it entirely)
• Cinnamon stick – 1″ piece
• Cloves – 3
• Cardamom pods – 2-3
• Nutmeg mace – a small piece
• Kalpasi or black stone flower – a small piece (I used a small piece of star anise here)
• Coconut – 1/4 cup, freshly grated

For the curry,

• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Curry leaves – a small handful
• Onion – 1 large-sized, finely chopped
• Ginger – a thick 1″ piece
• Garlic – 4-5 cloves
• Green chilis – 2
• Tomatoes – 2, chopped
• Water – 1 cup
• Salt – to taste
• Lime juice – 1 tsp
• Cilantro leaves – a few, to garnish

How to:

• Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces. Combine with the marinade ingredients and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
• Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add all the ingredients to be dry roasted. Lightly roast stirring every now and then till the coconut is golden brown and the spices are fragrant. Cool slightly and grind to a smooth paste with a bit of water. Keep aside.
• Make a paste of the ginger, garlic and green chilis as well. Or you can substitute with 2-3 tsp of ginger-garlic paste and a couple of chopped green chilis. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a large pan and add the curry leaves. When they crackle, add the chopped onions and saute till they are golden.
• Then add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute well till the raw smell goes away. Now add the tomatoes and cook till they are mushy and well combined.
• Add the prepared spice paste and saute for a few minutes. The gravy should be thick, dark and very fragrant.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well to coat with the gravy. Add water and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Now cover the pan and cook on medium heat till chicken is done.
• Open the lid, check seasoning and squeeze some fresh lime juice.
• Reduce the curry to desired thickness. Remember that it will thicken upon cooling as well.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve.

Notes:

• In case you do not have dried red chilis, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and garam masala ingredients, you can use the respective spice powders. Start by roasting the coconut on medium heat till lightly golden. Add the spice powders towards the end and roast further till they are slightly aromatic. If you add the spice powders at the beginning and then start roasting the coconut, you run the risk of burning the spice powders and this may make the curry bitter.
• You can cook mutton similarly.
• For a vegetarian version, add cubed potatoes and other vegetables, making sure that they are all similar in size, to ensure even cooking.
• You can add boiled and halved eggs to the curry as well.
• If you feel the curry has thickened too much, gently boil it again with a bit of hot water to loosen it.

Try this delicious chicken curry and I am sure you will love it. It is a great recipe to share with family and friends.

Do try this recipe and tell me how you like it. Go here for more chicken entrée dishes.

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