Southern chicken curry

South Indian foods are famous for their spice level and my typical down south dishes can be ranked as highest. Non-veg dishes in my native place are very popular and it is one of the attraction for the tourists there:)One among them is the 'Nellai chicken curry'. We can get this kind of gravy like oily chicken fries in any parotta stall (street side restaurant) in Madurai, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. The serving would be in a very small cup and it would definitely make the customer crave:) Mom used to make this with sambar and rice because this gravy would be very thick and tasty that it won't be enough to cover everyone's rice:) This is almost the first dish I prepared for hubby dear along with sambar and rice and it is one of his favorites too.

Here is that Spicy 'Tirunelveli kozhi curry varuval' from my kitchen to yours !

To marinate:

Chicken - 3/4 kg
(thighs is best. No white meat for this recipe please, as it will turn rubbery)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
curry masala powder - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 3 tbsp
Salt - 2 tsp
curd (plain yogurt) - 1 cup

Ginger garlic paste:

Ginger - 1 inch
garlic - 1 whole

other ingredients:

any frying oil - 1/2 cup
Red onion - 2
Tomato - 3
curry leaf - 1 sprig
Fennel seed - 1 tsp
cinnamon - 2 inch long

Method:

Wash and clean the chicken. Remove skin and fat.
Cut it into small pieces.
Add all the items given for marination and keep aside for 1 to 2  hours.

Finely chop the onion and tomato. Keep them separately.

Grind the peeled ginger and garlic to a fine paste.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the fennel, cinnamon , curry leaf and let the fennel become red.
Then add the finely chopped onion and fry till it becomes golden brown.
Now put the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
Add the finely chopped tomato and fry till oil separates.

Now add the chicken pieces along with marinade. Stir a few times and sprinkle 1/2 cup water. Cook tightly covered in VERY LOW HEAT for 45 minutes. stir once in 10 minutes. Switch off after the oil starts showing up.

Tirunelveli chicken curry is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as side dish with plain white rice + sambar or rasam.
Also tastes great with any Indian breads like chapati, naan, parotta, pav buns.
If it seems too spicy, serve with ghee rice and lots of raitha.