A fiery and aromatic chicken curry from Tamil Nadu's Chettinad region. This dish gets its unique flavor from a freshly ground spice blend featuring black stone flower and star anise, creating a deeply savory and complex gravy.
Prep25 min
Cook35 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1 cup
479cal
47gprotein
20gcarbs
25g
Ingredients
7 pc Dry Red Chillies (Use a mix of Kashmiri for color and Guntur for heat)
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1.5 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 tsp Black Peppercorns
4 pc Cloves
2 pc Green Cardamom
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
1 pc Star Anise
1 tbsp Kalpasi (Also known as black stone flower, crucial for authentic flavor)
Flaky, layered, and irresistibly soft, this South Indian flatbread is a street food classic. Known as Kerala Parotta, it's famous for its intricate layers and chewy texture. Perfect for sopping up rich, spicy curries, making it at home is a rewarding culinary experience.
A refreshing and cooling yogurt dip made with grated cucumber, fresh herbs, and mild spices. This classic Indian side dish is the perfect accompaniment to spicy curries, biryanis, and pulaos, ready in just 10 minutes.
About Chettinad Chicken Curry, Parotta and Cucumber Raita
Aromatic, perfectly spiced Chettinad chicken with flaky parotta - a soul-satisfying meal for spice lovers!
This indian dish is perfect for dinner. With 1410.54 calories and 61.81g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
fat
750 g Chicken (Bone-in, curry cut pieces)
3 tbsp Gingelly Oil (Can be substituted with any neutral vegetable oil)
0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
15 pc Curry Leaves (Fresh leaves preferred)
2 pc Onion (Medium-sized, finely chopped)
1.5 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 pc Tomato (Medium-sized, finely chopped)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
1.5 cup Water (Use warm water for better results)
0.5 cup Coconut Milk (Thick, full-fat for a creamy finish)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Chettinad Masala
In a dry pan over low-medium heat, add the dry red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, star anise, and kalpasi.
Dry roast for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and slightly toasted. Be careful not to burn them.
Remove from heat and let the spices cool down completely.
Transfer the cooled spices to a grinder or spice mill and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
2
Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of the freshly ground Chettinad masala.
Mix well to ensure the chicken is evenly coated.
Set aside to marinate for at least 15-20 minutes while you prepare the curry base.
3
Sauté the Aromatics
Heat the gingelly oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter, which takes about 30 seconds.
Add the curry leaves and sauté for another 30 seconds until they turn crisp and aromatic.
Add the finely chopped onions and sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until the raw aroma disappears.
4
Cook the Chicken and Simmer
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes until they break down and become soft and mushy.
Add the marinated chicken to the pan. Sauté on high heat for 5-7 minutes, until the chicken is seared and changes color on all sides.
Stir in the remaining Chettinad masala powder and the rest of the salt. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring to coat the chicken well.
Pour in 1.5 cups of warm water, stir everything together, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the curry simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
5
Finish and Garnish
Uncover the pan and stir in the thick coconut milk.
Gently simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not let it come to a rolling boil, as this can cause the coconut milk to curdle.
Turn off the heat, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Let the curry rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve hot.
Servings
4
Serving size: 2 pieces
842cal
10gprotein
75gcarbs
56gfat
Ingredients
3 cup Maida (Approx 375g)
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Sunflower Oil (Divided for dough, soaking, and cooking)
1 cup Lukewarm Water (Adjust as needed)
Instructions
1
Prepare and Rest the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the maida, sugar, and salt.
Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and mix it into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing to form a soft, pliable dough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead for 10-12 minutes until it becomes very smooth and elastic.
Apply a little oil over the dough, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
2
Divide and Soak the Dough
After the initial rest, divide the dough into 8 equal-sized balls.
Place the dough balls in a deep bowl or tray. Pour the remaining sunflower oil over them, ensuring they are fully coated.
Cover the bowl and let the dough balls soak in the oil for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 4 hours at room temperature. This step is crucial for making the dough elastic.
3
Stretch, Pleat, and Coil
Generously oil your work surface. Take one dough ball (leave the others in the oil) and flatten it with your palm.
Using your fingers, gently stretch and pull the dough outwards from the center to form a large, paper-thin circle or rectangle. It should be translucent. Don't worry about small tears.
Starting from one edge, lift and fold the dough over to create thin, accordion-like pleats until you have a long, pleated rope.
Gently stretch this pleated rope to make it longer. Then, starting from one end, coil it into a tight spiral, tucking the tail end underneath.
Let the prepared coil rest for 10-15 minutes while you repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.
4
Cook the Parotta
Take a rested coil and gently flatten it with your palm or a rolling pin into a circle about 5-6 inches in diameter. Do not press too hard, as this will cause the layers to merge.
Heat a tawa or flat skillet over medium heat.
Place the parotta on the hot tawa and cook for about 1 minute until small bubbles appear.
Flip the parotta, drizzle a teaspoon of oil or ghee around the edges, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula, until golden brown spots appear.
Flip again, add a little more oil if needed, and cook the other side until it's crisp and golden brown. Repeat for all the parottas.
5
Fluff and Serve
Once cooked, remove the parotta from the tawa. While it's still hot, place it on a clean surface or hold it between your hands (using a cloth if too hot).
Gently clap or scrunch the parotta from the sides. This action is key to separating the layers and making it flaky.
Serve the hot, flaky parottas immediately with your favorite curry, such as vegetable kurma or chicken salna.
2 cup Curd (Thick, plain, and chilled. Greek yogurt or hung curd works well.)
1 medium Cucumber (Peeled and grated. English or Persian cucumbers are preferred.)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder (Freshly ground for best aroma.)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Finely chopped.)
1 tbsp Mint Leaves (Finely chopped.)
0.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste.)
0.25 tsp Black Salt (Also known as Kala Namak.)
1 pcs Green Chilli (Finely chopped, deseed for less heat.)
0.25 tsp Sugar (Optional, to balance the tang of the yogurt.)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Cucumber (4 minutes)
Wash, peel, and grate the medium cucumber using a box grater.
Place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve or a muslin cloth. Press down firmly or squeeze to remove as much water as possible. This is the most crucial step to prevent a watery raita.
Set the squeezed cucumber aside.
2
Prepare the Yogurt Base (2 minutes)
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the thick curd (yogurt).
Whisk the curd for about a minute until it is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps.
Add the roasted cumin powder, salt, black salt, and optional sugar to the whisked yogurt. Mix well to combine the spices evenly.
3
Combine and Chill (4 minutes + chilling time)
Add the squeezed grated cucumber, finely chopped green chilli, coriander leaves, and mint leaves to the spiced yogurt base.
Gently fold all the ingredients together until everything is well incorporated.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You may need more salt or a pinch more sugar depending on the sourness of your yogurt.