Chettinad Chicken Curry

Name: Chettinad Chicken Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2-3 servings
Cuisine: Chettinad
Ingredients: 500 grams Chicken, cut into pieces; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 teaspoon Fennel Seed; 2 sticks cinnamon; 4 Clove; 4 cardamom, green pods; 2 Bay Leaf; 2 Onion, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste; 2 Tomato, chopped; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon red chili powder; 2 teaspoons coriander powder; 1 teaspoon black pepper powder; 1 cup Coconut Milk, thick; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons Cilantro, chopped

The dish that put Chettinad on the culinary map — chicken slow-cooked in a freshly ground masala of kalpasi (stone flower), marathi mokku (dried flower pods), star anise, long pepper, whole black pepper, fennel, and cinnamon, all tempered in sesame oil with curry leaves. Every element of the masala is ground to order, never pre-mixed, giving this curry an aromatic complexity unlike any other regional chicken curry in India.

Cuisines

Chettinad

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Build a full meal around Chettinad Chicken Curry

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 35 min Total: 50 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

	500 grams	Chicken , cut into pieces
	2 tablespoons	Oil
	1 teaspoon	Fennel Seed
	2 sticks	Cinnamon
	4	Clove
	4	Cardamom , green pods
	2	Bay Leaf
	2	Onion , finely chopped
	1 tablespoon	Ginger-garlic paste
	2	Tomato , chopped
	1 teaspoon	Turmeric powder
	1 teaspoon	Red chili powder
	2 teaspoons	Coriander powder
	1 teaspoon	Black pepper powder
	1 cup	Coconut Milk , thick
	1 teaspoon	Salt
	2 tablespoons	Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

1 Heat oil in a pan and add fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Sauté until aromatic.
2 Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
3 Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
4 Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.
5 Mix in the turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and black pepper powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6 Add the chicken pieces and sauté until they are well coated with the spices.
7 Pour in the coconut milk and add salt. Stir well and cover the pan.
8 Cook on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the gravy thickens.
9 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For extra flavour, you can dry roast and grind fresh spices instead of using pre-ground powders.