Chicken Kurma for Biryani

Ingredients

Chicken	300 gms
Onion	1 medium (fine pieces)
Bay leaf	1 or 2
Fennel seeds	little
Curry leaves	few
Oil	4 tbsp
Coconut	½ from half coconut

Ingredients for marinating

Turmeric	little
Red chilli-Coriander powder mix	1 tsp flat
Clove-Cinnamon powder mix	2 pinch
Garam masala powder (readymade)	¼ tsp
Fennel powder	1 tsp
Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste	¼ tsp

Ingredients for Grinding

Onion	1 medium
Tomato	1 medium
Green Chillies	4 – 5
Ginger	1 inch piece
Garlic	5 – 6 big cloves
Pepper Corns	8 – 10
Fennel Seeds	½ tsp
Coriander leaves	few (5-6 stem with leaves)
Oil	1 tbsp

Ingredients for finishing

Fennel powder	¼ tsp
Garam masala (readymade)	2 pinch
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Method:

1. Chicken marination:  Clean and wash the chicken pieces. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marination with little water. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. Grinding: Cut the onion and tomato into slices. Slit the green chillies. Chop ginger and garlic into big pieces. Heat oil in a kadai to medium hot. Add green chillies and fry for 2 seconds. Then add onion slices, ginger pieces, garlic, pepper corns, fennel seeds and coriander seeds. Saute till onion turns into light brown in colour. Now add tomato slices and cook till soft. Then add coriander leaves, mix and switch off the flame. Once cooled, grind into a smooth paste using sufficient water. Keep aside.
3. Grind coconut using water into coarse. Take first and second milk (pour ground coconut into a strainer, squeeze and take the first milk. Again add half a cup of water to the coconut residue, mix and squeeze to take the second milk. Keep aside.
4. Preparing kurma: Heat a kadai with 4 tbsp of oil to medium hot. Add fennel seeds and allow to splutter. Then add bay leaf and onion. Saute till onion turns into light brown. Add ground paste and fry and cook untill oil shows on the sides. Now add marinated chicken and curry leaves. Saute in high flame for 2-3 minutes. Then add coconut milk (needed 2 cups of thin coconut milk. Adjust water to coconut milk according to that). Gently mix and allow to boil. Then lower the flame, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
5. Now open the lid, mix and check the salt. If needed adjust with some more salt. This kurma should be semi-thick. Careful while adding water.
6. Now add ingredients mentioned for finishing. Mix and switch off the flame. Chicken kurma is ready.

     Serve with Biriyani, plain rice, roti, dosa or idli etc.