Kerala Style Chilli Chicken

Ingredients

1.5 lb chicken, cleaned and cut into small pieces

To Fry

3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
2 eggs
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
11/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp green chilli sauce
salt to taste
oil to fry
water if needed

To make the gravy

2 large onion, ground to smooth paste without adding water
1 tsp garlic paste
7 green chillies, chopped into medium pieces
2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
4 tbsp tomato sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp green chilli sauce
11/2 tsp pepper powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil (the oil that was used to fry the chicken can be reused)

Preparation

1. Make a smooth paste with all the ingredients mentioned in the "to fry" section and marinate the chicken with this and keep aside for an hour.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the chicken until they turn light brown in color. Keep them aside.

3. Now heat 2tbsp oil in a large vessel and put the chopped green chillies to this and fry for a minute.

4. Add the onion and garlic paste to this and fry for 10 minutes in medium heat.

5. After that, add kashmiri chilli powder and fry for a minute.

6. Now add the fried chicken pieces to this and mix well.

7. Add the tomato sauce, soy sauce ,green chilli sauce and pepper powder to this and mix well gently. (You can add salt at this stage if required)

8.  Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring continuously and turn off the heat.

Coriander Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cleaned and cut into small pieces (approximately 1.5 lb)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp oil/ghee
salt to taste

To marinate

1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

To grind

11/2 cups chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup grated coconut
10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
4-5 green chillies, roughly chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped

Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned in the "to marinate" section and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

2. Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the "to grind" section to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

3. Heat oil/ghee  in a kadai.  Add the chopped onions to this and saute until they turn golden brown in color.

4. Now add the marinated chicken to this and mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and allow it to cook for 10 minutes in medium flame (No need to add water as chicken will cook in it's own water).

5.  Now add the ground smooth paste to the chicken and mix well. Add salt as required. Cover it with the lid and cook for another 10 minutes in medium flame.

6. Remove the lid and cook until the chicken is completely cooked and the gravy has reached your required consistency. 

Kerala Style Chicken Fry / Kozhi Porichath

Ingredients

1 lb skinless chicken, cut into small pieces, washed and drained
2 inch ginger, ground into coarse paste
12 garlic cloves, ground into coarse paste
a twig of curry leaves, hand-crushed
Coconut oil to deep fry the chicken

To marinate

2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp garam masala
11/2 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp yogurt
salt to taste
water as required to make a smooth paste

Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients mentioned in the to marinate section to make a smooth thick paste.

2. Marinate the chicken pieces with this paste and keep it refrigerated at least for 3 hours (Keep refrigerated overnight for best results).

3. Take out the chicken from refrigerator before frying.  Add the freshly ground garlic, ginger and crushed curry leaves to the chicken and mix well. Keep outside for 15 minutes.

4. Heat the coconut oil in a kadai. Add the chicken pieces in batches and deep fry the them in medium heat . Turn the pieces in between and fry them until all the sides turn golden brown in color.

5. Drain the fried chicken pieces in a kitchen towel.

It goes well with rice or indian bread.

Nadan Kozhi Curry/Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1.5 lb skinless chicken with bones cut into small pieces, washed and drained
3 medium onion, chopped
4 green chillies, slit open
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
11/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
41/2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
4 tbsp coriander powder
21/2 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp vinegar
2 cups of coconut milk
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp coconut oil
a twig of curry leaves
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in kadai. Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies to it and saute until the onions turn golden brown in color.

2. Add kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala to this and saute continuously in low heat for 10 minutes.

3. Add the chicken pieces, salt and vinegar to this and mix  thoroughly. Now cover it with a lid and cook in medium heat until the chicken is cooked well.

4. Now add coconut milk along with water to this and cook in low flame for 10 minutes. Adjust the salt if required.

5. Turn off the heat and that is it. The chicken curry is ready to be served.

Kozhi Nirachath /Spicy Egg Stuffed Roast Chicken

Ingredients

1 medium size whole chicken, cleaned and skinned

For marinating the chicken

2 tbs red chilli powder
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp oil
salt to taste
water as required

For stuffing

2 boiled eggs
1 medium size onion, thinly sliced
3 green chillies, finely chopped
2 large garlic pods, skinned
1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
a twig of curry leaves
a handful of coriander leaves, chopped
salt to taste
1 tbsp coconut oil

For shallow frying the chicken

1/4 cup coconut oil


For Baking the chicken

1 medium onion, sliced

For the gravy

1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced
4 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp ginger , chopped
1 tsp garlic , chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
a twig of curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil remaining after frying the chicken

Preparation

For marinating the chicken

1. Clean the whole chicken  thoroughly with water and lemon juice and pat dry.

2. Make a smooth paste with all the ingredients specified in the "for marinating the chicken" section.

3. Apply this paste all over the chicken both inside and outside and refrigerate it overnight or at least 4 hrs.


For Stuffing

1. Boil the eggs and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add the sliced onion along with the chopped green chillies, garlic cloves ,chopped ginger and curry leaves. Saute until the onions are light brown in color.

3. Now add chilli powder, kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder , garam masala and salt. Mix everything together and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Add the boiled eggs to this masala and fry for another 2 minutes.

5. Finally add the chopped coriander leaves to this, mix well and turn off the heat. Allow the masala to cool down.

6. Stuff this masala inside the chicken.
First put the eggs inside, then the masala.Using kitchen twine tie the chicken legs first and then the wings. (Do not stuff heavily ).

For shallow frying the chicken

1. Heat oil in a large pan. Place the stuffed chicken carefully in the pan and fry until all the four sides are light brown in color. (You need to turn the chicken carefully as needed and no need to fry fully).

2. Drain the chicken and keep it aside.

For baking the chicken (Initial Stage)

1. Preheat the oven in 350 F.

2. Make a bed using sliced onion in the baking dish and place the chicken on that facing the breast side down.

3. Drizzle some oil (used for frying the chicken) on the chicken

4. Cover the baking dish with an aluminium foil and bake it for 40 minutes.

Meantime you need to prepare the gravy, which has to be poured on the half baked chicken.

For the gravy

1. Heat oil in a pan . Add the sliced onion to this and saute for a minutes.

2. Add chopped ginger, garlic ,green chillies  and curry leaves to this and saute for another 2 minutes.

3. Then add the sliced tomato.

4. Once the tomato is soft, add chilli powder, kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala along with salt and fry for 3 minutes in medium flame.

5. Grind the fennel seeds to fine powder and add it to this gravy and mix well. Fry for another 2 minutes and turn off the heat.

For baking the chicken (Final Stage)

1. Once the initial baking is done, take the chicken out carefully and pour the prepared gravy all over the chicken.

2. Bake the chicken uncovered for another 40 minutes in 400F 

and that is it. The egg stuffed chicken is ready. (Take off the kitchen twine before serving)

Butter Chicken

Ingredients

2 lb boneless chicken, cut into small cubes

For Marination

3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
3 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
11/2 tsp tandoori masala powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup yogurt
salt to taste

For Gravy

3 medium size tomatoes
4 onions, sliced
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
6 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
11/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp coriander powder
11/2 tsp tandoori masala powder
11/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/2 - 1 cup fresh cream
unsalted butter, as required for frying the sliced onions
water, as required (I have used 31/2 cups)
salt to taste

Preparation

1. marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients mentioned for the marination and refrigerate for at least one hour. For best results, leave overnight.

2. Preheat the over to 300 degree  Fahrenheit. Arrange all the chicken pieces in a baking tray and bake for about 30 min, turning once in between. Keep the baked chicken aside.

3. Scald the tomatoes and peel off the skin, mash it well and keep aside.

4. Now heat enough butter in a pan and saute the onions until they are golden brown. At this stage, add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute for2 minutes. Now add the mashed tomatoes to this and fry for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool down.

5. In a blender add the sauted onion tomato mix along with kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, tandoori masala powder , salt and vinegar. Blend until you get a smooth paste.

5. In a heavy bottomed kadai, heat butter. Add the ground masala paste and fry until the oil separates.

6. Now add required quantity of water to this mix and allow to boil.

7. Reduce the heat to low and add fresh cream. Mix well.

8. Now add the baked chicken pieces and kasuri methi to this. Mix well. Add more salt if needed. Cover the kadai with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.

9. Turn off the heat and add 1 tsp butter and coriander leaves to garnish.

Bread Pizza

Yet another great dish all the way from my friend Soumya's kitchen. Kids are going to love this..

Ingredients

For Pizza

12 bread slices

2 eggs
1 cup milk
ghee/butter as rquired

For Toppings

1 chicken breast, cut into small cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 capsicum, de-seeded and chopped
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp red chilli sauce
salt, to taste
a pinch of sugar
Oil, as required
shredded mozzarella cheese, as required

To Marinate the chicken

1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp curd
salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Heat oil in kadai and fry the marinated chicken cubes till they turn light brown in color. Allow the fried chicken to cool down so that you can shred the fried chicken using your hand.

3. Mean time, heat oil in a pan to saute the chopped onions. Once the onion becomes brown in color, add the chopped tomato. When it becomes soft add the chopped capsicum and saute for 5 minutes.
(You can put the flame on sim and shred the chicken at this stage)

4. To this, add the shredded chicken,soy sauce and the chilli sauce. Now you can add sugar to this and salt as required. If you want your pizza to be a little spicy, you can add chilli powder also. Mix everything well and allow to cook for 5 minutes. The topping is ready.
(If you feel the topping is too dry, you can add 1 or 2 tbsp of water and cook.)

5. Remove the crust of the bread and cut the bread into required shape. (I cut the bread in  triangle  shape so that it will be easy to arrange it in a round pan for cooking).

6.Now beat the eggs and milk very well.

7. Coat a non stick flat pan with a little ghee or butter and heat the pan in low flame.

8. Dip each bread slice in the egg-milk mixture and place it on the pan. Now spread the toppings on the bread slices. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Now add the shredded cheese on top of it and cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

The yummy pizza is ready!!

Kozhi Curry/Chicken Curry

Less effort and simply delicious!!

Ingredients

1.5 lb chicken, cleaned and cut into small pieces

2 medium onions, slices

10 whole garlic loves , skin peeled off

1 inch length ginger, cut into thin long strips

2 green chilies, split lengthwise

1 medium potato, skin peeled off and cut into medium cubes

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp chilli powder

11/2 tbsp coriander powder

11/2 tbsp garam masala powder

1/2 tbsp coconut oil

a few curry leaves

salt to taste

11/2 cup + 1 tbsp water

To Marinate the chicken

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coconut oil

salt to taste

1. Marinate the chicken with the turmeric powder coconut oil and salt and keep aside for 15 minutes.

2. In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and add the sliced onion. Saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add garlic pods, sliced ginger and the green chilies to this and saute for another 1 minute.

4. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder to this and saute for a minute in low heat. Take care not to burn the powder ingredients. You can add 1 tbsp of water if you need at this stage to prevent burning.

5. Add the marinated chicken and the potato cubes and mix well. Taste the salt level and add if needed.

6. Close the pressure cooker and cook in medium heat until you hear 5 whistles.

7. Once the pressure subsides, open the lid and add 11/2 cups of water and salt if needed. Mix well.

8. Allow to cook for another 10 minutes. Add curry leaves at this stage.

The chicken curry is ready to serve. It goes well with rice.

Manchattiyil Varattiya Kozhi / Chicken Roast in Mud Pot

Whenever your loved ones give you something, it will be really special to you and you will just love it. I got this special recipe that way and I just love it. Its an easy preparation. But when it comes to taste, it is the best.

I would suggest you people to make this dish in a mud pot, in malayalam "manchatti", which somehow brings an extra flavor to the curry. Also, use coconut oil for cooking as it is an authentic kerala dish.

Manchattiyil Varattiya Kozhi 

Ingredients (To serve 2 or 3 people)

To marinate the chicken

500 gms chicken with bone

20 pearl onions minced

1 tbsp chicken masala

1 tsp coconut oil

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Salt enough to taste

To make the chicken roast

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

10 cloves

3 sticks of cinnamon

6 cardamom

2 or 3 bay leaves

1 tbsp garllic paste

1 tbsp ginger paste

5 or 6 green chillies minced (I used really hot chillies)

2 medium tomatoes sliced

2 tbsp coconut oil

Salt enough to taste

Preparation

1. Wash the chicken and place it in a colander to drain of all the excess water.

2. Marinate the chicken with minced onion, chicken masala, turmeric powder, coconut oil and sail. Keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a manchatti (earthen pot). Add fenugreek seeds . Once its light brown in color, add fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and saute for a few seconds until it leaves an aroma. 

(Heat is to medium as high heat can burn the spices)

4. Add ginger paste, garllic paste and minced green chillies to it and saute for a few seconds till the raw smell fades.

5. Add sliced tomatoes and cook it till it is softened.

6. To that add the marinated chicken , mix well and cook it in low heat for 5 minutes covering the manchatti .

After that,open the lid and mix again to prevent it from getting burnt.

(Chicken will normally release enough water to keep the curry moist. If you feel the curry is getting too dry, you can add 4 to 5 table spoon of water)

7.  Again cover the manachatti with lid and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes in medium heat.  Stir occasionally  When the chicken is completely cooked, you can turn off the stove and remove the manchatti from stove top. 

Enjoy the  nadan and simple chicken roast!!

* This chicken roast goes well with chappathi, naan, pathiri etc

* I would suggest to paint the inside of  manchatti with coconut oil before you start cooking to prevent food  from sticking.

* If you are cooking it in manchatti, you should be really careful as the curry can get burnt easily.