Malabar Chicken Fry
Chicken pieces coated in a thick spice paste of Kashmiri chilli, black pepper, ginger, garlic, and fennel, then deep-fried until deeply golden and crunchy. A Malabar tea-shop staple that also anchors home celebrations — the combination of heat from chilli and warmth from fennel is distinctly North Keralite.
Cuisines
Kerala
Malabar
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 500 grams | chicken, cut into medium pieces |
| 1 tablespoon | ginger paste |
| 1 tablespoon | garlic paste |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | coriander powder |
| 1 teaspoon | fennel powder |
| 1 teaspoon | black pepper powder |
| 1 tablespoon | lemon juice |
| — | salt to taste |
| 2 | green chilies, slit |
| 1 cup | coconut oil |
| 1 | large onion, thinly sliced |
| 10 | curry leaves |
Instructions
- 1 Clean the chicken pieces and pat them dry.
- 2 In a large bowl, mix ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, black pepper powder, lemon juice, and salt to form a marinade.
- 3 Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well to coat evenly. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- 4 Heat coconut oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
- 5 Add the marinated chicken pieces to the hot oil and fry until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
- 6 In the same oil, add sliced onions, green chilies, and curry leaves. Fry until the onions are crispy and golden brown.
- 7 Remove the fried chicken and garnish with the crispy onion mixture before serving.
Tips
For a more authentic taste, use coconut oil for frying and serve with lemon wedges.