Chettinad Style Minty Chicken

It happens sometimes that we think of cooking a dish and suddenly realize that some vital ingredients in cooking the dish are not available. So we are forced to make the dish replacing some ingredients and adding some more. These twists and turns finally come up with a recipe which help sprout a new dish, Thanks to such situations where we venture new recipes and make out a different dish.

This Minty chettinad style chicken is no exception. The tomato puree is replaced by yogurt and to make use of the mint leaves bunch, I decided to add them and give a different flavour to my chettinad style chicken.
Ingredients :
1/2 Kg of Chicken, bone in, Skinless, cut into regular chicken curry size pieces
1 Tbsp Sesame or Olive oil
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
4 - 5 Red Chillies broken into small pieces
8 - 10 Curry leaves
1 big Onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 + 1/4 cup Mint leaves chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
1/2 tsp Home made Garam Masala
1/2 cup Yogurt
a pinch of Black Pepper Powder
Salt to Taste

Procedure :
To cleaned chicken add turmeric, little of each red chilly powder, garam masala, pepper powder and salt, keep aside.
In a skillet, heat oil and add the fennel seeds , wait for the aroma and then add red chillies, curry leaves and fry without burning.
Add Onions and fry till translucent
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till rawness is gone.
Now add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well.
At this time add the chopped mint leaves and fry along with the chicken for a minute or two.
Add Yogurt and keep stirring.
Add garam masala and mix.
No need to add any water as we are making a semi dry version here.
Roast the chicken till done and the masala mixture leaves oil.
Add remaining mint leaves mix for a minute and remove from heat.
Serve hot with plain rice, rasam or sambar

Koduva meen kuzhambu/Sea Bass Fish Stew

This is one simple and easy to make fish gravy..off course again grandma's style. I was so impressed by this fresh Koduva(Sea Bass)fish on my visit to the supermarket, that I immediately picked it up a thick steak, got it cut into lumpy cubes and returned home and made this super gravy in no time. Koduva or Sea bass is one among the top fish varieties besides Vanjiram(King fish), Viraal(Murrel, Vavval(Pomfret), Sura(baby Shark), Sankara(Red Snipper), Mathi(Sardines) Nathili(Anchovies)that we get in South India. Luckily in Toronto we are able to get all of them except Viraal meen. I did post some of these fish gravies already. Hope to post rest of them in the future.

These fish cubes reminded me of my trip to the fish market with my granny in childhood days. Granny use to have a regular fish vendor lady..who use to keep the best king fish steak for her. She would cut it into symmetrical cubes once we purchased it. Then after coming home I use to watch granny wash these fish cubes by adding rock salt, then rinse it with water and then add cut onions, green chillies,curry leaves home made red chilly powder, salt, oil, tangy tamarind juice and mix it..then she use to give me some of that raw juice to taste..and trust me this juice was good in itself even before it boiled and became fish gravy. The washing of the fish in rock salt and adding all those masalas would really take off the raw fishy smell. And now it just takes another 10-15 minutes for the gravy to be ready to enjoy with hot rice. I missed these childhood precious moments when I was making gravy with these fish cubes. Though I used koduva(Tamil) fish, but it so much resembled king fish gravy that grandma made..Luv you granny!!!

Ingredients:
2 lbs Koduva/Sea Bass fish cubes
1 Tbsp - Rock Salt
1 Tbsp - oil
1 Medium - Onion sliced
4 Green Chillies
10 Curry leaves
2 tsp - Homemade Red Chilly powder
Soak Lemon size Tamarind/Puli/Chintapandu ball in 2 cups hot water
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - a small bunch

Procedure:
Place the fish cubes in deep pot/saucepan, add rock salt and whisk fish with fingers to melt salt.
This procedure cleans the fish and takes off the raw smell.
Add water and wash the fish cubes and drain.
Now combine fish with green chillies, onions, curry leaves, red chilly powder, salt, oil and mix thoroughly with fingers not breaking the cubes.
Now squeeze the Tamarind/Puli juice from the soaked tamarind & water into this mixture.
Now mix this well and bring it boil, Once the gravy seems to attain a good consistency add the coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Serve with hot rice, dosas or idlies.