Grandma's Chicken curry (Serves 5)

This is our good old grandma's recipe that goes in perfect harmony with the pathiri....

For the curry

Boned chicken 1 lb, cut to medium size pieces
Red Onions 2 nos (big), chopped
Green chilly 4 nos, slited
Ginger ½ inch piece, minced
Garlic 6 pods, minced
Tomato 1 no (big), chopped
Potato 1 no (big)
Red chilly powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 2 TBSP
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Pepper powder ½ tsp
Water as needed to cook the chicken
Coconut milk 1 cup thick, 1 cup thin
Coconut oil 3-4 TBSP
Salt as needed


Preparation

Make a paste of chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, garam masala with  little hot water and keep aside.

Heat (med-high) oil in a wide mouthed cooking pan and sauté chopped onions until soft. Add in green chilly, ginger and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes or until you can smell the nice aroma from ginger and garlic. Next add the paste that you made earlier with all powders. Mix well until the masala's raw smell is gone. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till oil separates. Lower the heat, and add the chicken pieces. Saute this for about 15-20 minutes for the masala to coat the chicken well. Now add water to cook the chicken and  cook covered. Stir in between and when the curry is half done, add the potatoes and 1 cup of thin milk. Cook covered until fully done. Remove from fire and then add the thick milk. Cover the curry and let it stand for 10 minutes, add salt as needed and mix well.


For Tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Shallots 3-4 nos, sliced
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Dry red chilly 2 nos
Oil 2 tsp

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, next add red chilly, curry leaves and shallots. Saute till a reddish brown color and add to the chicken curry. Enjoy the curry with rice, appam , pathiri or anything you would like to eat with chicken curry.

Tips

You can always replace ginger and garlic with store bought ginger-garlic paste, but will need to compromise on taste
Adding lots of curry leaves adds more taste to the curry