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

Chicken with Chettinad Fusion

Its Thanks giving weekend in Canada. So if not the big bird "Turkey" definetly this recipe for the small bird should work out.
Think about red chillies, pepper corns, cumin/coriander seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves the first thing that comes in mind is Chettinad cuisine. Though I didn't use all those ingredients here in this recipe..which is why I only call this dish a chettinad fusion..I'm happy to come out with a different chicken preparation which is easy to make and tasty to cherish.
This recipe is inspired by Sig's Chettinad Chicken curry, with my addins and modifications.
Having the basic ingredients of Chettinad cooking like Red chillies, Fennel seeds(saunf), Black pepper, Curry leaves..etc, this turned out to be one different and satisfying chicken recipe that didn't dissappointment me and also got laurels from my partner.

Whats needed:
1-1/2 lb of Chicken, bone in, Skinless, cut into regular chicken curry size peices
1 Tbsp Oil
1 big medium size Onion, cut length wise
5 - 6 Red Chillies stems removed
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
8 - 10 Curry leaves
1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 cup Crushed Tomato puree
1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
1/2 tsp Tumeric Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
Salt to Taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Directions:
Wash and clean chicken of any fat.
Add turmeric, and red chilly powder along with enough salt to the clean chicken, mix and keep aside
In a wok or kadai, pour oil when hot and add the fennel seeds and fry.
Now add red chillies, curry leaves and fry taking care not to burn.
Add Onions and fry till translucent
Add ginger garlic paste and paste fry till rawness is gone.
Add Tomato puree and keep stirring till it leaves oil.
Now add the marinated chicken peices and mix well to coat the chicken peices with the masala.
Allow the chicken peices to roast along with the masala for about 15 - 20 minutes till the chicken masala mixture leaves oil.
Add the black pepper powder mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Serve hot with plain with rasam or tempered rice.


And a Happy Thanks giving to my Canadian friends.