Chicken Chettinad Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken	300 gms
Onions	2 medium
Tomato	1 medium
Ginger-garlic paste	2 tsp
Bay leaf	1
Curry leaves	few
Oil	4 tbsp

Ingredients for Marinating:

Turmeric powder	1/8 tsp
Red chilli/Coriander powder mix	1 tsp full
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Curd	1 tbsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp

Ingredients for grinding masala:

Cumin	½ tsp
Pepper Corns	1 - ½ tsp
Fennel seeds	1 tsp
Coriander seeds	1 tsp
Red chillies	4
Clove	2
Cinnamon stick	1 inch
Curry leaves	8 leaves
Cashew	3 – 4 nos
Onion	1 medium
Coconut grated	3 tbsp
Oil	1 tbsp

Ingredients for final finishing:

Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	2 pinch
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Method:

1. Clean and wash the Chicken pieces. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating and mix well. Keep aside for half-an-hour.
2. Masala paste preparation: Cut Onion into big pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai. Add all the ingredients mentioned for grinding except Onion and Coconut. Fry in low flame for few seconds and then add Onion and Coconut. Fry till onion becomes translucent. Switch off the flame. Once cooled, grind into a smooth paste using little water. Keep aside.
3. Chop Onion into fine pieces and Tomato into small thin slices. Heat a kadai with oil (4 tbsp). Add Bay leaf. After a second add chopped Onions and fry till light golden brown. Then add chopped Tomato and ginger-garlic paste. Cook till soft and dry. Now add ground paste and curry leaves. Fry in low flame for few minutes.
4. Once oil slightly bubbles up on the top, add marinated Chicken. Raise the flame to high and fry till all the Chicken pieces coated well with masala. Add half a cup of water and mix again. Once a boil appears, lower the flame, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Stir in between to avoid sticking to the bottom.
5. Now check the salt. Adjust if needed. If the gravy is too thick, add little more water and mix (this gravy should be in semi-thick consistency. Adjust water according to that).
6. Finally add Fennel powder, Garam masala powder and chopped Coriander leaves (mentioned ingredients for final finishing) and mix gently without breaking the Chicken pieces. Cook for 2 more minutes and switch the flame. Keep covered for 6-8 minutes. After that transfer into a serving bowl. Chicken Chettinad Curry is ready.

Serve with hot rice, Idli, dosa, appam or chappatti and rotis.