Name: Chettinad Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients: 800 g chicken, curry cut, bone-in; 12 whole shallots (sliced); 2 whole tomatoes (chopped); 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 15 leaves curry leaves; 6 whole dried red chilies; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 pc star anise; 1 stick cinnamon; 3 pcs whole cloves; 3 tbsp grated coconut; 4 tbsp oil; 1 tsp turmeric powder; salt (to taste); 200 ml water

Method

Marinate the chicken

Rub the chicken with turmeric, salt and half the ginger-garlic paste, and set aside to marinate.

20 min

Roast the whole spices

Dry roast the dried chilies, peppercorns, fennel, cumin, coriander seeds, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coconut together until fragrant and lightly darkened.

Keep the pan moving and your nose close — these scorch fast and bitter once they start smoking.

3 min

Grind the masala

Let the roasted spices cool slightly, then grind them with a splash of water into a coarse Chettinad masala paste.

2 min

Caramelize the shallots

Heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the shallots until deeply golden.

Deeply caramelized shallots are the backbone of this curry's sweetness — don't rush this step.

8 min

Cook the tomato base

Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and the tomatoes, and cook down until it turns to a soft mush.

5 min

Cook the masala

Stir in the ground spice masala and cook until the oil visibly separates from the paste.

3 min

Sear the chicken

Add the marinated chicken and sear it, turning to coat evenly in the masala.

5 min

Simmer until tender

Add the water, cover, and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

20 min

Garnish and serve

Scatter the remaining curry leaves over the top and serve hot with rice or parotta.

Chettinad Chicken

Ingredients

Method

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