Chettinad chicken curry

This is a kind of chicken fry with some thick gravy .It has an unbeatable flavour and taste.
The chettinadu chicken varies from other kind of chicken curries by its spicy taste and some of the masalas used fo grinding.
Here is the perfect chettinadu chicken.

Ingredients:

chicken - 2 lb(a whole chicken cut into big pieces)

To chop
Small onions - 20 (100 gm)
Tomato -2
green chilli - 4 split lengthwise
coriander leaves- 1 handful
curry leaf - 2 sprig
curd - 1/2 cup

To grind # 1
ginger - 2 inch
garlic- 1 full

To grind # 2
Poppy seeds- 1 tbsp
coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
Red chilli - 3
Black pepper - 2 tbsp
cumin seeds- 1 tbsp
fennel seeds- 1 tbsp
cinnamon - 1 inch
cardamom -5
cloves -4
grated coconut - 2 tbsp

To temper:
Fennel seeds / sombu - 1 tbsp
star aniseed - 1
cinnamon- 1 inch
curry leaves - 3 sprig
sesame oil - 1/2 cup

Powders required:
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder- 2 tbsp


salt - 3 tsp (to taste)

To Garnish:
Whole lemon - 1 (sliced to decorate)


Method:
Remove the skin and Wash the chicken in running water and cut it in to big pieces.
Wash again with 1 tsp turmeric powder.
Drain water.
Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, lemon juice, coriander powder, salt , curd and marignate for 1 hour in room temperature or overnight inside fridge.

grind the ginger garlic paste and keep aside.

Chop the items given.


In a deep pan, heat the oil and add the items given for temper.
When they stop spluttering, add the sliced onions and fry till they are light brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Now add the tomatoes, green chillies, mint leaves and cilantro. stir well to mix all the ingredients. Cook till oil separates.

If needed add some more sesame oil or ghee.

Add the chicken, cover and cook in very low flame for 5 minutes.

Dry roast (To grind # 2)the poppy, coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and coconut for 3-4 minutes. Remove from flame and allow to cool. Grind the mixture into a coarse paste.

Add it to chicken and cook till it is tender.

Garnish with minced coriander leaves and serve along with sliced lemon.

Serving suggestions:
This can be comfortably served for 8 people.
Time taken: 30 minutes for preparation and 1 hour for cooking.
Can be served with white bread,chapathi, naan, patotta, Biryani, coconut milk rice.