A fragrant and spicy chicken curry from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. This thin, flavorful gravy, known as salna, is packed with freshly ground spices and is the perfect side for parottas, idiyappam, or dosas.
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.
Aromatic, perfectly spiced Chettinad chicken salna with flaky parotta. Pure comfort food that's soul-satisfying!
This chettinad dish is perfect for dinner. With 1236.67 calories and 48.06g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
fat
1 tsp
kalpasi
(stone flower)
1 tbsp pottukadalai (roasted gram dal)
0.5 cup coconut (freshly grated)
600 g chicken (bone-in, cut into medium pieces)
3 tbsp gingelly oil (sesame oil)
2 pcs onion (medium, finely sliced)
2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped)
1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 pcs green chili (slit lengthwise)
10 pcs curry leaves
1 tsp red chili powder (Kashmiri, for color)
1.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
4 cups water
2 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)
3 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Chettinad masala paste. In a dry pan over low heat, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and kalpasi. Roast for 2-3 minutes until they become aromatic. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and let them cool completely. In a blender, combine the roasted spices with grated coconut and pottukadalai. Add a little water and grind to a smooth, thick paste. Set aside.
2
Sauté the base aromatics. Heat gingelly oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until they turn soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste, slit green chilies, and curry leaves. Sauté for another 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
3
Cook the tomatoes and powdered spices. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric powder and red chili powder. Cook for 1 minute until the oil starts to separate from the masala.
4
Sear the chicken and add the ground masala. Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Sauté on high heat for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is lightly seared on all sides. Add the ground Chettinad masala paste and chopped mint leaves. Mix well to coat the chicken. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes until the paste is fragrant and well-cooked.
5
Simmer the salna until the chicken is cooked. Pour in 4 cups of water and add salt. Stir everything together well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through and its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). The gravy should be thin, which is characteristic of a salna. If it's too thick, add a little more hot water.
6
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with parotta, idiyappam, dosa, or plain rice.
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.
