Saturday, January 9, 2010

Sittu's Chicken

1 kg chicken - drumsticks/breasts/thigh - bone-in better.
make cuts on the meat and marinate with some turmeric, chilli powder,
salt - I add yogurt optionally when making this gravy, usually on a
whim:), so do whatever suits you, but keep it to bout a tbsp, as we
are also adding tomatoes and it just adds more to the tang/sourness of
the dish.

For masala:-
1) 8-10 peppercorns
2) 1 cinnamon stick
3) 2-3 cloves
4) 1 mothi elaichi(brown cardamom)
5) 2-3 green cardamom
6) 1 star anise - optional, but i think u have it, so mentioned the same.
7) 1 tbsp corriander(dhana)
8) 1 tsp jeera
9) 1 tsp fennel seeds(badishep)
10) 2 dry red chillies - or more if fine with the heat
11) coconut - dry/wet - usage varies accordingly as specified below.

Dry roast all of the above with dry coconut, if using and ground to
paste with ginger and garlic(in equal proportion).

Heat oil, add a few sprigs of curry leaves. Add finely chopped onions.
Once browned, add finely chopped tomatoes and 1 tsp red chilli
powder(adds a nice color) and fry till oil seperates from the sides.
Add the dry roasted masala. Fry till nice n toasty(you can smell all
the spices), add the marinated chicken pieces, turn down heat to low,
mix well, cover and let the meat cook. If adding chicken marinated
with yogurt, add the meat in small amounts at a time and mix it in
well till the yogurt is blended with the masala paste - this ensures,
the yogurt is well incorporated and doesnt give the gravy a
grainy/curdled milk kinda look.

The chicken tends to add its own juices to the dish when cooked on low
flame and hence keep away from adding any water right till the end. If
using "ola khobra", add it after the chicken has tenderised a lil. All
the while, in case everything seems too dry, keep on sprinkling a
little hot water.

Finally, add water to to get a gravy of desired consistency. While
serving, add some lemon juice and garnish with fresh corriander
leaves.