CHICKEN CURRY - MY STYLE

    This year we celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary. While I was in midst reminiscing a number of memories, I was remembering my initial days of cooking in my in-laws' house. Trying hard & always sceptical enough, thinking whether they would like my cooking. As it was a joint family & the cooking was always to suit each & everyone at home, it had too many specifications as a matter of fact. FIL wanted a non-vegetarian dish to be served daily, MIL never wanted to come out of the comfort zone of classic cooking. Any new dishes were termed out to be fashion cooking. But now you should see the way she tries out all-new recipes she sees in TV shows. Time changes!

 

    And all the more, I wanted to impress my husband with my cooking. He was always busy with his work and never gave much notice to what he ate( all the more what I cooked). Gradually, I started cooking a few dishes, to suit everybody's liking(so what I think it was...) specifically I made sure to cook Tiffin items for breakfast. Earlier my MIL used to make Kanji for breakfast at least 2-3 times a week & it was like, my Hubby & my FIL somehow made sure to convince my MIL they ate it and then, they went to Annapoorna Gowrishankar to finish off their breakfast. Whatsoever, I am not sure whether they went to eat out, even when I made Tiffin items. But I got a distinguished comment from my MIL saying that "Marumakal Kanji Kudi Muttichu."

 

    Well, coming to the story of Chicken Curry. Though I used to cook even during my college days, I had never ever ventured into cooking Non-vegetarian dishes. So, just a month after my wedding my MIL went to her mother's place in Cochin. She gave me the instructions that a batch of Chicken is lying in the Freezer and how to cook it. I was literally apprehensive about the idea and least knew how to cook a Chicken, how much masala to be added, how long to cook a Chicken etc., But I had to cook as my FIL wanted some non-vegetarian dish for lunch. Initial 2-3 days, I escaped by making Egg Curry, then Omelette, next day I fried some fish & so on and finally the day dawned that I was out of ideas & I had to make Chicken Curry.  And above all it was a Sunday.

     

    Somehow, I made sure to cook Chicken, with my whims & fancies, but wanted a justified version. Chicken or Mutton curries cooked without Potatoes are a big Taboo at home, so added a few Potatoes 

into the Chicken Curry. Sauteed the Onions & Tomatoes & spices and then ground them into a paste - that was to make sure that the Masala didn't taste anywhere raw. Then I spluttered some fennel seeds and sauteed the ground masala until oil separated from the mix, added the Chicken Pieces, waited until it was half cooked and then added Potatoes into it. Adjusted the consistency and finished off the Chicken Curry garnishing it with Coriander Leaves. I wouldn't say it was the best curry ever, but nobody had any comments or complaints about the curry. So there I came up with a Chicken Chicken - My style, My version.

 

CHICKEN CURRY - MY STYLE

 

 

    When I am too lazy to ponder about for some new versions of Chicken Curry or when I need to cook something within 20-30 minutes, I stick on to my style of this Chicken Curry. I have perfected this Chicken Curry to the core with my innumerable repetitions & it is our family favourite. When you are cooking up a lot of dishes for a celebration or an occasion, then this Chicken Curry recipe can be easily incorporated into your menu for two good reasons:

     

• Quick to prepare
• Fewer Ingredients

    This Chicken Recipe is prepared with Pan-seared Chicken Pieces, simmered to perfection in an Onion Tomato base with mild spices. Every time I cook Chicken Curry,  I usually Pan sear the Chicken Pieces, which gives a perfectly cooked juicy and succulent chicken pieces.  Pan searing the Chicken pieces is one technique I learnt & perfected out of experience.  This simple Chicken Curry goes well with all type of Indian bread like Rotis, Naan, Kulcha, Chapatis, Parathas & Parottas and Tiffin Items like Idli, Dosa, Uthappam, Vellayappam, Idiyappam and Puttu.  Also, it is a good accompaniment along with Rice, Pulaos and Biriyanis too. The best about this Chicken Curry is that it is authentic and it is an absolutely flavour filled Curry justifying the very nature of Indian spices added into it. At the same time enhancing the overall taste and aroma of the Curry.

For more CHICKEN Recipes, Click here...

Cuisine - Indian
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium - High
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3 - 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 20-30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 25-30 Minutes

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN CURRY - MY STYLE

CHICKEN CURRY - MY STYLE

INGREDIENTS: 

For Chicken Curry - My Style:

Oil - 2 Tbspn
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 Tspn
Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs
Chicken - 1/2 Kg
Potatoes - 4-5 Nos.(medium-sized)
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Garam Masala - 1 Tspn
Tamarind Paste - 1 Tspn
Salt - to Taste
Sugar - a Pinch

For the Masala Paste(To Saute & Grind):

Oil - 2-3 Tbspn
Cloves - 3 Nos.
Cinnamon - 1" Stick
Fennel Seeds - 1 Tspn
Cardamom - 3 Pods 
Onion - 2 Nos.
Ginger - 1" Piece
Garlic  - 8-10 Cloves
Dry Red Chillies - 5-6
Coriander Powder - 1 Tbspn
Tomato - 2 Nos.
Coriander Leaves - few

To Garnish :

Coriander Leaves - Few

METHOD:

For the Masala Paste(To Saute & Grind):

• Heat oil in a Pan, Splutter the spices mentioned under 'For Masala Paste.'
• Immediately add finely chopped Onions, garlic & ginger and saute until onions turn translucent.
• Add Dry Red Chillies and fry them on a very low flame until it fluffs up.
• Then add Coriander Powder and fry it on a low flame until the raw flavour goes.
• Add finely chopped Tomatoes and cook this on a low flame until the tomatoes turn soft & cooked.
• Once the tomatoes turn soft, switch off the flame & add a few strands of fresh coriander leaves to 
• the above.
• Give a quick stir and allow the mixture to cool down.
• Once cooled, grind the ingredients into a fine paste and keep it aside.

 

For Chicken Curry - My style:

• Clean, wash & cut Chicken into small pieces. Allow it to drain in a colander. 
• Clean, Peel & wash the Potatoes.
• Cut them into cubes and leave them in a bowl of salted water until use.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a Pan, splutter Fennel seeds and Curry Leaves on a very low flame.
• Add Chicken pieces to the oil along with a dash of salt and pan sear the chicken pieces until water runs out clear.
• Toss the chicken pieces once or twice and cook until the colour changes and it is evenly coated with oil, for about 5-8 minutes.
• Pour the ground Masala Paste to the Seared Chicken pieces and mix well.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Garam Masala to the above and fry for a while until the raw flavour goes. 
• Cook this on a low flame until oil separates from the mix.
• Add cubed Potatoes along with a dash of salt, and mix well.
• Let it cook on a low flame for a few minutes or until the Potatoes turn soft & cooked. 
• Then, pour in the Tamarind extract along with a pinch of Sugar and mix well. 
• Sprinkle some water if necessary at this stage.
• Cook the curry on a low flame for about 7-10 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Switch-off the flame and garnish it with Coriander Leaves.
• Serve Hot. 
• Goes well with Vellayappam, Idiyappam, Chapatis, Rotis, Parathas.
• Can be served along with Rice, Pulaos and Biriyanis too.

CHICKEN CURRY - MY STYLE

 

 NOTES:

• Adjust the amount of Spices to your taste preference.
• Can pre-boil the cubed Potatoes & then add it into the Chicken Curry.
• Pan searing the Chicken Pieces gives a perfect texture.
• Sauteing & grinding the Onions and Tomatoes gives you a rich gravy.
• Adding Sugar & Tamarind is totally optional. But it helps to balance the overall taste of the Chicken Curry.