Name: Chicken Chettinad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 800 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 1 large onion, finely sliced; 4 cloves Garlic, minced; 25 g fresh ginger, finely grated; 2 medium tomatoes, chopped; 150 ml chicken stock; 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped, to finish; 1 tsp, plus extra to taste salt; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 4 dried red chillies; 4 green cardamom pods; 1 small cinnamon stick; 4 Cloves; 1 tsp poppy seeds, optional; 40 g desiccated coconut, optional

Method

20 mins prep45 mins cook65 mins total

Toast the coriander, cumin, fennel and peppercorns with the chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and optional poppy seeds and coconut in a dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly, grind to a powder, then blend with a splash of water to make a thick paste.
Toss the chicken with half the spice paste and a pinch of salt. Leave for 20 minutes, or cover and chill overnight if preparing ahead.
Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the chicken in batches. Set it aside. Fry the onion for 8–10 minutes until golden, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the remaining spice paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened and the oil begins to separate.
Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the stock, cover and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the lid and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Check the seasoning, scatter over the coriander and serve with basmati rice, naan or paratha.