Restaurant Style Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• Chicken – 950 gms, after cleaning, cut into small-medium size pieces
• Onion – 3 medium-large, finely sliced
• Crushed/grated ginger and garlic – 1 – 1.5 tbsp, each
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 2.5 tsp
• Garam masala – ½ tsp
• Fennel powder (perumjeerakam) – ½ tsp
• Pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Tomato – 1 big, chopped
• Medium thick coconut milk – 1.5 cups
• Thick coconut milk – ½ cup
• Salt
• Oil

To temper

• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Small/Pearl onion – 6, sliced
• Curry leaves
• Ghee/oil

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add finely sliced onions and cook till it turns golden brown. Add crushed/grated ginger garlic and cook for 2-3 mins or till the raw smell goes.
2. Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, fennel, pepper powder and garam masala. Mix well. Cook till the oil appears, around 2-3 mins. Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix well. Cook till the tomatoes becomes soft. Let it cool for sometime.Grind the masala to a smooth paste by adding 1-2 tbsp of water.
3. In the same pan, add some more oil and add cleaned chicken pieces. Mix well. Cook till the chicken pieces start changing colour. Add the ground masala. Mix well and make sure the chicken pieces are coated well with the masala and cook for 3-4 mins.
4. Add medium thick coconut milk and give a stir. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Add thick coconut milk and stir. Cook for 5-7 mins. Remove from fire.
5. In another pan heat oil/ghee and splutter mustard seeds. Add sliced small onion and curry leaves. Cook till the onions turn golden brown. Add this to the chicken curry and serve hot.

Notes

I used coconut oil, but you can use ghee or refined oil also. The gravy tends to thicken as the curry rests, so adjust the consistency of the curry accordingly. It pairs well with ghee rice/pulao/roti/appam etc; You can also add cashew paste to make it more creamier. Soak 1-2 tbsp of chopped cashews in 2 tbsp hot water for 10-15 mins. Grind it to a smooth paste. Mix the cashew paste with thick coconut milk and add it to the curry.