MASALA CHICKEN / CHICKEN MASALA RECIPE

Masala Chicken / Chicken masala recipe, easy and delicious way of cooking chicken. Best to serve with hot steamed rice, roti or naan. 

I served this super delicious masala gravy with hot steamed rice  and sliced onion 

Ingredients:

For Marination :

1/2 kg chicken 

1/4 cup Yogurt 

2 tsp Ginger garlic paste 

1/4 cup fried onions  

Salt to taste

For Masala Paste:

10 Dried Red Chillies

4 tsp Coriander seeds

2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Onion 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder/paste 

1 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

3 tsp Coconut Oil 

Chopped coriander leaves 

Method : 

1. Marinate the chicken with curd, ginger-garlic paste, fried onion and salt. Set aside for an hour. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. For the masala paste, dry roast the coriander & cumin seeds and the red chillies for 2-3 minutes. Let it cool. Now add all these, chopped onion & turmeric powder in a grinder & blend until smooth. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Heat coconut oil in a kadhai. 
4. Add the ground masala paste & fry on medium to low heat for 10 mins till the raw smell is gone & oil separates. Make sure the colour of the paste isn’t dark or the colour of the gravy will change. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Add the marinated chicken, mix well & cook on high flame for around 5 mins. Continue to cook on a medium flame for another 10 mins till the chicken & the masala starts changing colour. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Add Chilli powder and garam masala powder, mix it well & cook for around 15 mins. 
   
7. Simmer for another 5 mins till oil separates & all the masalas are cooked well. 
   
8. Add a cup of water, mix it well & cook covered for 15mins till the chicken is tender. 
   
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves 
   
10. Serve hot with roti or rice. 
    

MOROCCAN CHICKEN CURRY RECIPE

Moroccan cuisine tastes like is a mild version of Indian food. Indian and Moroccan dishes use a similar medley of spices including cumin, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron.  This recipe is actually prepared by my husband. He is an amazing cook who tries hands in different cuisines.  

This is a super spicy chicken recipe, goes with steamed rice or with any kind of roti. Freshly roasted and grounded spices added in this recipe brings that spicy taste. I was not able to take step by step photos of the recipe as I was checking on the procedure to cook this. 

Ingredients :  

• 4 Thigh Piece Chicken 
• 2 Onion Sliced 
• 5 Garlic Chopped 
• 3 Tomatoes 
• Coriander Leaves Chopped 
• 3 Tsp of Coconut Oil 

For Masala Powder  

• 2 Tsp of Coriander seeds
• 2 Tsp of Cumin seeds 
• 1 Tsp of Black Pepper  
• 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon powder 
• 10 Dried Red Chilli 
• 1/4 tsp of Turmeric Powder  
• Salt 

Method : 

For Masala Powder : 

• Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned for "masala powder" on a medium flame for about 5 minutes 
• Allow it to cool down and transfer int a mixer 
• Ground into a fine powder 
• Add half of the masala powder to the chicken pieces and mix well. Leave this marinate for 20 minutes 

For Tomato purée : 

• Cook the tomatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until they've released some of their juices and are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Cool the tomatoes for another 5 to 10 minutes and remove the skin 
• Then puree with immersion blender or transfer to a blender and process until smooth.

For Curry :

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, add coconut oil and place the marinated chicken pieces 
• Cook it on a medium flame for 5 minutes 
• Once the chicken is half done, add the sliced onion and mix well 
• Let the onion get roasted well then add chopped garlic and cover cook for 3 minutes 
• Now add the tomato puree and check for salt 
• Let this boil for a couple of minutes and then add the remaining masala powder 
• Cover cook for 5 minutes 
• Add chopped coriander leaves and cook for 2 minutes 
• Serve hot 

I served this Moroccan chicken curry with some matta rice and rasam. 

 

CHICKEN SUKKA RECIPE / DRY CHICKEN GRAVY RECIPE

Chicken Sukka or Chicken Semi-Dry gravy, one of my favourite chicken recipe. Best to be served as a starter recipe with rice or roti. I usually don’t like deep fried recipes, especially when it comes to chicken. I would prefer pan fried recipes or gravy. This is one such recipe, easily prepared and tastes delicious. 

I'm using coconut oil in my cooking. You can also try this recipe with gingelly oil. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 

Total Time: 40 mins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time:  25 mins

INGREDIENTS :

• 1/2 Kg Chicken Pieces 
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Paste / Powder 
• Salt for taste 
• 10 Garlic Chopped 
• 15 Shallots Chopped 
• 2 Strings of Curry Leaves 
• 3 tsp of Coconut Oil 

For Roasted Powder : 

• 5 Dried Red Chilli 
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 3 Cloves 
• 1 Tsp Coriander seeds 
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds 
• 1/2 Tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1/4  Tsp Black Peppercorns 

For Masala Paste : 

• 10 Garlic Pods 
• 2 inch Ginger 
• 10 Shallots 
• 5 Green Chillies 
• 1/4 Cup of Coriander Leaves 

To make Chicken Sukka or Chicken Semi-Dry gravy, at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Method : 

We need to prepare masala paste and roasted masala powder for marination. 

For Masala paste, in a mixer add all the ingredients given under "FOR MASALA PASTE". 

Grind into a fine paste by adding little water. (don't add more water) 

Dry roast all the ingredients given under "FOR ROASTED POWDER" on a medium flame for about 3-5 minutes 

Add the roasted ingredients into a mixer and grind into a coarse powder 

Cut chicken into medium-sized pieces. Wash, drain and marinate with Turmeric paste/powder and Salt.

Add the grounded masala powder to the chicken 

Now add the masala paste to the chicken and mix well 

Keep this marination for at least 30 minutes 

In a heavy bottomed vessel, add coconut oil and temper with curry leaves, and add garlic pieces  

Once garlic turns brown, add chopped shallots and roast for about 3 minutes on medium flame 

Now add the marinated chicken and mix well 

This takes about 15 minutes. Slow cook it on medium flame  

Gently mix at intervals.  Let the water evaporates completely. 

Now the masala paste has coated evenly on all the pieces of chicken.  Turn off heat and serve hot 

ERACHI CURRY / CHICKEN CURRY

This erachi / chicken curry is one of my favourite chicken recipes. This actually has two versions - one version I learned from my mom and the other from my mother-in-law. Both are awesome cooks and makes delicious traditional recipes. My Mother-in-law still grinds each and every masala in “Ammi”. She always quotes that ”when any curry is cooked in manchatti (earthen pot) and masala grounded in Ammi that recipe tastes more delicious”. But it’s true. The recipe I'm sharing in this post is my Mother-in-law version erachi curry or else I can say my husbandman’s favourite erachi curry. 

This recipe is the coconut based recipe and can be served with idli, dosai, appam, idiyappam or steamed rice. In my cooking, I cant skip coconut, coconut oil and curry leaves. If you are not a lover of coconut oil, you can use any oil of your choice.  

I'm using boneless chicken, you can use chicken pieces with bone and this same recipe you can try with mutton. If you are trying with mutton, pressure cook mutton with turmeric powder, salt and ginger garlic paste, and then add to the curry. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 

Total Time: 40 mins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time:  25 mins

Ingredients : 

For Coconut Paste : 

• 1 Cup grated coconut 
• 6 Shallots 
• 2 Tablespoon Chilli Powder 
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder 
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 1 Green Cardamom 
• 3 Cloves 

For Curry : 

• 500 grams Chicken 
• 10-15 Shallots 
• 7 Garlic 
• 1 Inch Ginger 
• 1/2 tablespoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 2 Bay leaf 
• 1 clove 
• 1 Green Cardamom 
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 

To make erachi curry / Chicken Curry at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Step By Step Picture Instructions : 

For Marination : 

• In a mixer, add ginger and garlic, make a fine paste 
  
• To the chicken pieces, add half of ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Leave this covered for 10-15  minutes 
  

For Coconut Paste : 

• In a pan, add grated coconut and shallots 
  
• Add cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves 
  
• Start to roast them on medium flame 
  
• Roast until the coconut turns golden brown ( this takes almost 10 minutes ) 
  
• Add chilli and coriander powder to the coconut 
  
• Mix them well and roast for another 2-3 minutes on low flame 
  
• Don't burn them 
  
• Keep the roasted coconut aside till it cools down 
  
• In a mixer, add the roasted mixture and ground to the fine paste by adding little water 
  

Keep this coconut paste separate 

For Curry : 

• In a pressure cooker, add oil and temper bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves 
  
• Add shallots and roast for 2 minutes 
  
• Add the remaining ginger garlic paste and roast until the raw smell disappears 
  
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well 
  
• Add salt required for the curry 
  
• Now add the coconut paste to the chicken 
  
• Add water and mix well, and pressure cook for 2 whistles 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Serve hot