Kerala Chicken
Neendakara-a dot on the long
Kerala coastline, a small fishing village near Quilon, was the place where we,
new med school graduates, had to do our compulsory “village posting “.There was
little recreation post work.We , a group of 10 would either sit on the rocky
beach and listen to music,or play carom indoors when it rained.Every so often
we would stand around the kitchen and watch
“Jayamma”-our local cook-deftly whip up local curries using basic locally
available produce.
The recipe I have written goes
back to that time… Jayamma would rub the chicken with the ingredients and place
it in an earthern “chatty” in a cool place in the kitchen to cook slowly over
woodfire later…
Kerala Chicken
1 chicken cut into 16 pieces
For the marinade:
Ginger-garlic paste-1teaspoon
Crushed green chilies-4 (you can
make it as hot as you like by adding more)
Bruised curry leaves-6-8
Dahi-1/2 cup
After washing and trimming the
chicken, add the marinade and set aside in the refrigerator for a couple of
hours.
Crush in a mortar and pestle: Pods of 1 big elaichi, pods of 4-6
small elaichi, 4 cloves, and 1” piece cinnamon,10 peppercorns
Other ingredients:
Oil-4 tablespoons (I used
coconut-you can use any)
Fresh sliced coconut-8-10 pieces
Onions-1+2, I finely sliced, and
2 finely sliced and caramelized in hot oil.
Garlic 4 pods-crushed
Ginger about 1” piece-crushed
Tomato-coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped coriander and mint
leaves
Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
Garam masala-1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder-1 teaspoon (or
as desired)
Saunf powder-1 teaspoon
Salt-to taste
A few fried cashewnuts for
garnish.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan,
add the sliced coconut, brown, remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place
on absorbent paper. Add the 2 sliced onions, caramelize on medium heat-don’t
let them turn very dark brown, as it will alter the taste! Remove from oil, set
on absorbent paper.
To the same oil, add the
remaining onion, crushed garlic and ginger, the crushed dry masalas, dhania,
garam masala, chilli powder, saunf powder and salt. Add the marinated chicken,
with all of the marinade Mix well and cook on medium heat for a few minutes-lid
on.
Cover with the coriander-mint
leaves and caramelized onions.Add the chopped tomato. Cook on medium heat till
chicken is done-give it a stir in-between to mix in the browned onions and herb
mixture.Serve with paratha/porotta…Enjoy!
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