Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients

• 800 g chicken thigh, boneless and cut into large chunks
• 6 garlic, crushed
• 30 g fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1½ tsp salt
• 50 g desiccated coconut
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 25 curry leaves
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onion, finely sliced
• 3 tomato, chopped
• 2 dl water

Method

1. 1.

   Marinate the chicken — Toss the chicken with half the garlic and ginger, the chilli powder and 1 tsp of the salt. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes while you make the masala.

2. 2.

   Toast and grind the masala — Toast the desiccated coconut, fennel seeds, black pepper and ground coriander in a dry pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, shaking constantly, until the coconut is nut brown and smells toasted. Grind to a coarse paste with 4 tbsp water.

3. 3.

   Fry the spices and onions — Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and drop in the cinnamon stick, star anise and half the curry leaves. When they crackle, add the onions and fry for 10 minutes over medium heat until soft and deep golden.

4. 4.

   Cook down the tomatoes — Stir in the remaining garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and the rest of the salt. Cook for 8 minutes until the tomatoes break down completely and the mixture pulls away from the base of the pot.

5. 5.

   Sear and simmer the chicken — Raise the heat, add the marinated chicken and sear for 5 minutes, turning the pieces so they colour on all sides. Stir in the ground coconut paste and the water, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender.

6. 6.

   Reduce the sauce — Uncover and cook hard for a final 5 minutes until the sauce clings darkly to the chicken and a slick of oil rises to the surface. Scatter over the remaining curry leaves and rest for a few minutes before serving with rice.