Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken, bone-in curry cut pieces, skinned
• ½ cup plain yogurt, whisked
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 4 dried red chillies, whole (Kashmiri or deghi mirch)
• 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, about 5 cm
• 3 tbsp desiccated coconut, unsweetened
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, for tempering
• 15 fresh curry leaves
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Mix the chicken with yogurt, turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and leave it to marinate while you prepare the masala.
2. Heat a small dry pan over medium-low heat. Add the dried chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, fennel, cumin, poppy seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Do not let them burn.
3. Add the desiccated coconut to the same pan and toast for 30 seconds until pale golden. Tip everything onto a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
4. Grind the cooled spices and coconut to a fine powder. Blend with 4 tablespoons of water to make a thick, slightly coarse paste.
5. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, the extra teaspoon of fennel and the curry leaves. Let them sizzle for 15 seconds until crackling.
6. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
7. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell goes. Add the tomatoes and green chillies and cook until soft and the oil starts to separate at the edges, about 6 minutes.
8. Add the ground masala paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and smells roasted. Sprinkle in a splash of water if it catches on the pan.
9. Add the marinated chicken and turn the heat to medium-high. Sear, stirring, for 5 minutes until the chicken turns opaque on the outside.
10. Pour in the hot water and the remaining salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat, stirring now and then, until the chicken is tender and reaches 74°C at the thickest piece, about 20 minutes.
11. Uncover and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes if the gravy is thin, until it clings to the chicken and oil shimmers on top. Stir in the lemon juice, taste for salt and scatter over the coriander.

Tips

• Toast the spices on gentle heat and keep them moving. Scorched pepper and fennel turn bitter and cannot be rescued.
• Brown the onions properly. Their deep colour gives the gravy its body and sweetness against the pepper.
• Chettinad is meant to be peppery. For a milder curry, use 3/4 teaspoon peppercorns and remove the seeds from the dried chillies.
• Bone-in pieces give more flavour. If you use boneless thigh, shorten the covered cooking time to about 12 minutes.