Chettinad Chicken Varuval

Name: Chettinad Chicken Varuval
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: chettinad
Ingredients: 600 g chicken (bone-in, medium pieces); 2 pcs onion (medium, finely sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (peeled); 8 pcs garlic (cloves, peeled); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 12 pcs curry leaves; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped); 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 3 pcs dried red chili; 1 inch cinnamon; 3 pcs cloves; 2 pcs green cardamom; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 0.5 cup water

RATING

4.6/5(147)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

A bold, spicy Tamil Nadu chicken fry with black pepper, fennel, curry leaves, and a rich roasted masala. It cooks down to a thick, clingy coating that tastes wonderful with rice, rasam, or parotta.

PREP

20m

COOK

35m

SERVES

1 KATORI

342 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 10 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prepare the chicken and aromatics.
1.Wash and drain the chicken pieces well.
2.Slice the onion finely and chop the tomato.
3.Crush the ginger and garlic together to a coarse paste.
4.Slit the green chili and keep the curry leaves ready.
roast · ~4 min
Roast the Chettinad spices.
1.Heat a small pan on low heat.
2.Add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, dried red chili, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
3.Roast until fragrant and slightly darker, stirring often so the spices do not burn.
4.Cool the spices completely.
TIPKeep the heat low while roasting. Burnt pepper and fennel will make the varuval bitter.
mix · ~2 min
Grind the roasted spices.
Grind the cooled roasted spices to a fairly fine powder. Set it aside for the masala base.
saute · ~8 min
Cook the onion base.
1.Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add curry leaves and green chili; cook for a few seconds.
3.Add sliced onion and cook until lightly golden.
4.Add the crushed ginger and garlic and cook until the raw smell disappears.
saute · ~5 min
Add tomato and spice powders.
1.Add chopped tomato and cook until soft and pulpy.
2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
3.Stir well and cook until the masala looks thick and glossy.
saute · ~5 min
Coat the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces and stir well so every piece is covered with the onion-tomato masala. Cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often.
simmer · ~20 min
Cook the chicken until tender.
Add water and the roasted spice powder. Mix well, cover, and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and the liquid reduces, stirring now and then to prevent sticking.
TIPUse a wide pan so the masala reduces properly and clings to the chicken instead of turning watery.
saute · ~4 min
Finish the varuval.
Uncover and cook for a few more minutes until the masala thickens and coats the chicken well. Add lemon juice and mix once.
garnish
Garnish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve hot with rice, rasam, or parotta.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Roast the whole spices only until aromatic; over-roasted pepper and fennel can turn the varuval bitter.
2
Use a wide, heavy pan so the liquid evaporates quickly and the masala clings to the chicken instead of stewing.
3
Cook the onions to light golden before adding ginger-garlic; this gives the fry a deeper, sweeter base.
4
Let the tomatoes turn fully soft and glossy before the chicken goes in, or the masala will taste sharp.
5
Bone-in pieces work best here because they stay juicy during the longer covered simmer and add flavor to the masala.
6
Add the lemon juice only at the end to keep its brightness; cooking it too long dulls the finish.
7
This dish tastes even better after a short rest, when the roasted spice powder settles into the chicken.