Name: Chettinad Pepper Chicken (DRY) recipe by Sanchari Jayanta at BetterButter
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 250 grams of Chicken, cut into 5 large pieces; 1 tablespoon of Cornflour; 1 large Onion or 2 Medium Onions; 1 teaspoon of Fennel Seed; 1 tablespoon of Black Pepper Seeds; 1 teaspoon of chopped Ginger; 1 teaspoon of chopped Garlic; 1 fistful of Curry Leaves; 1/4 cup of Coconut Milk; 3 tablespoon of Coconut Oil; 6 tablespoon of White Oil; 3 tablespoon of Chopped Coriander Leaves; 1 teaspoon of grated Coconut; Salt; Optional: 1 Cinnamon Stick; Optional: 3- 4 dry Red Chillies; Optional: 1 teaspoon of Cumin Seed

ABOUT Chettinad Pepper Chicken (DRY) RECIPE

Chettinad region is situated in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. Chettinad cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India. This style of cuisine is famous for its use of a variety of spices used, especially in preparing non-vegetarian food. The dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground spices. They also use a variety of sun dried meats and salted vegetables, reflecting the dry environment of the region.

Ingredients Serving: 4

250 grams of Chicken, cut into 5 large pieces
1 tablespoon of Cornflour
1 large Onion or 2 Medium Onions
1 teaspoon of Fennel Seed
1 tablespoon of Black Pepper Seeds
1 teaspoon of chopped Ginger
1 teaspoon of chopped Garlic
1 fistful of Curry Leaves
1/4 cup of Coconut Milk
3 tablespoon of Coconut Oil
6 tablespoon of White Oil
3 tablespoon of Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 teaspoon of grated Coconut
Salt
Optional: 1 Cinnamon Stick
Optional: 3- 4 dry Red Chillies
Optional: 1 teaspoon of Cumin Seed

Instructions

Marinate Chicken pieces with a pinch of salt and keep it in a refrigerator for 20 minutes to tenderize the chicken.
Cut onion and keep them aside, heat the pan and dry roast the fennel seeds and black pepper seeds for 2-3 minutes.
Cool and pound the roasted fennel seeds and black pepper seeds in a mortar, to make a coarse powder and keep it aside.
Now take the marinated chicken and add the Cornflour in it. Add a pinch of salt and mix well.
This way, during cooking, the juices from Chicken will not come out and make it tender as well.
Now heat a deep pan and add 6 tablespoon of White Oil on medium flame. Put the chicken pieces and fry for 5 - 6 minutes. Take them out after the Cornflour coating starts to change color and turn red/brown.
Now, discard the white oil and add 3 tablespoon of coconut oil. One can continue with White Oil as well, but to make it authentic and traditional, use coconut oil.
When the oil is heated, add chopped ginger and chopped garlic, and fry for 2 minutes on medium flame till the raw smell of Garlic and Ginger goes away.
Next add finely chopped Onion . Mix it well and fry it for another 2 - 3 minutes. We do not want the onion to change color.
Now add Curry Leaves and fry them for another 1 minute.
Add the fried Chicken in it and mix it well and stir-fry the entire mixture for another 4 minutes on low flame.
Now, add the coarse powder made of Black Pepper Seeds and Fennel Seeds and mix it well.
Add coconut milk in it. We need to fry the entire mixture for another 6 - 10 minutes till it gets dried. Check the level of salt and if required add some.
Finally, add the chopped coriander and grated coconut and serve dry Chettinad Pepper Chicken with Rice or Pulao or Appam.

Similar Recipes