
An iconic chicken curry from Tamil Nadu, simmered in an intense sauce of toasted spices, curry leaves, and coconut. A generous, fragrant, and deeply savory dish.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns
- 4 pieces Cloves
- 1 piece Cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves Green cardamom
- 4 pieces Dried red chile
- 6 pieces Chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil
- 2 sprigs Fresh curry leaves
- 3 pieces Red onions
- 50 g Fresh ginger
- 8 cloves Garlic
- 3 pieces Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Red chile powder
- to taste Salt
- 3 tbsp Grated coconut
- 1 bunch Fresh cilantro
Method
- Peel the ginger and garlic, then pound them together into a fine paste using a mortar or blender. Finely chop the red onions and dice the tomatoes.
- Heat the oil in a wide Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sprigs of curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds to release their aroma.
- Add the chopped onions and sauté patiently until they are deeply browned and caramelized, stirring regularly to prevent them from sticking.
- Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook, stirring, until the raw smell disappears and the mixture becomes fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chile powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are completely broken down and the oil rises to the surface of the mixture.
- Sprinkle the Chettinad masala and grated coconut over the mixture. Stir and cook briefly to toast everything, until the spices release their full aroma.
- Add the chicken thighs and coat them well in the spiced mixture. Cover the Dutch oven, lower the heat, and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally so the sauce does not stick.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Garnish generously with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot with basmati rice or parathas.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 275.5 kcal
- Protein
- 7.85 g
- Carbohydrate
- 15.6 g
- Fat
- 21.58 g
- Fibre
- 7.73 g
- Calcium
- 111.94 mg
- Iron
- 4.19 mg
- Magnesium
- 61.35 mg





