Green Chicken Curry (without coconut)

Yet another chicken curry from my kitchen. I bring to you a simple chicken curry recipe that can be a comfort meal with hot steamed rice on a Sunday afternoon. 

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg

(Apply salt, ½ tsp turmeric and juice of 1 lime and keep aside while you get your other ingredients ready.)

Grind the below ingredients to a paste with little water:

1. Coriander leaves – 1 cup
2. Green chillies – 6 nos
3. Garlic – 6 flakes
4. Ginger – 1 inch piece
5. Tamarind – a small lime sized ball
6. Peppercorns – 10 nos
7. Jeera – 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
9. Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
10. Onions – 2 medium

Tempering ingredients:

1. Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
2. Tomatoes – 2 medium, finely chopped
3. Bay leaf – 2 nos
4. Oil – 1 tbsp

Garnish :

A handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

1. In a pan, pour oil, add the bay leaves and onions. Add some salt and fry well. Please note you have already used salt in the marinade, please use salt accordingly. Add the tomatoes when the onions turn translucent.
2. Fry till the tomatoes become pulpy and oil leaves the sides of the pan. Now add the ground masala and fry till the rawness of the masala goes away.
3. Next add the chicken and let the masala coat the chicken well. Add 1/2 a cup of water and let the chicken cook.
4. Once the chicken is cooked check for seasoning and consistency and serve with hot pulao.

Chicken Chettinad

We eat a lot of different types of curries and chicken curry is very popular in my home. This recipe has been cooking in my kitchen for many years and it goes well with steamed rice and dosa.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 1 kg, curry pieces
2. Bay leaves - 2 nos
3. Onions - 2 large, finely chopped.
4. Tomatoes - 2 large, finely chopped.
5. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
6. Coconut paste - 1 cup

Dry roast on a pan and grind to a powder:

1. Dry red chilies - 8-10 nos
2. Coriander seeds - 2tbsp
3. Aniseed/Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
4. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
5. Cinnamon - 3 sticks
6. Black cardamoms - 3 nos
7. Cloves - 3 nos
8. Star anise - 3 nos

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the bay leaves and onions and fry till the onion has softened.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and mix well. 
3. When the tomatoes have softened and you see oil leaving the sides of the pan add the powdered spices.
4. Sauté the masala for a minute or so and then add the chicken and salt. Mix well. Let the chicken cook till almost done.
5. Add the coconut paste and 1/2 cup water, adjust the consistency and taste. When the chicken is completely cooked, switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Note:

• You can make a slight variation: Instead of adding 1 cup coconut paste, you can add 1/2 cup coconut paste and 1/2 cup cashew paste. It will make the curry richer.
• You can also skip the coconut paste completely and add 400 ml coconut milk.

Bhindi masala

I have been trying to introduce more vegetables in our diet and it is an ongoing effort. So there are times you try a recipe and it is loved and at other times it doesn't elicit a favorable response. Well today's bhindi masala is from the former category, cooked and loved many times. I serve it with parathas and it is always  appreciated.

Ingredients:

• Bhindi/Okra - 250 gms
• Onion (Small) - 1 no, cubed

1. Oil - as needed
2. Ajwain (Carom seeds) - 1/2 tsp
3. Cumin (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
4. Onion (medium) - 1 no, chopped fine.
5. Tomato (large) - 1 no, chooped fine.
6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
7. Green chilly - 1 no, slit.
8. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Yoghurt - 2 tbsp (optional)
12. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt as needed

Method:

1. Wash, pat dry and cut bhindi in 1 inch pieces. Ensure no moisture is present before cutting the vegetable. Keep aside. Cube or make thick slice of the small onion and open out each layer.
2. In a pan, heat oil and fry the bhindi till it it is browned, no need to cook well. Should take 3 to 4 minutes and set aside. Fry the cubed onions till they are slightly crisp and brown and set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat oil and add the cumin and carom seeds, sauté for a minute, add the chopped onion and fry till it is softened and pink.
4. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté and add the powders and tomato. Mix well and let it fry till the oil separates from the masala. 
5. Now add salt as required and the yoghurt and continue mixing. If you aren't using yoghurt, add 2 tbsp of water. 
6. Add the fried bhindi and onion and mix well and cook without cover for 4 to 5 minutes or till the vegetable is cooked. 
7. Just before you switch off the stove add the garam masala, mix the vegetable and serve hot with parathas.

Note:

You can add 1/2 tsp of amchoor powder (dry mango powder), specially if you are not adding yoghurt. This adds sourness to the dish.