Kozhi Kozhumbu (Chicken Curry)

May there be a flower without fragrance, or a movie without heroine...but can there be a food blog without a chicken recipe?...incomplete right!

Here is my first chicken recipe, to make it complete!

(Warning! Prepare yourself with adequate Idly/Dosa batter, or be ready to slurp uncountable Appams...as this Kozhi Kozhumbu is sure to deplete all your batter with its incredible taste and mesmerizing aroma)

Ingredients: 

Chicken: 1/2 kg (washed and marinaded in 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbs curd and little turmeric powder)

Sesame Oil - Adequate (sesame oil gives the traditional taste of kozhikozhumbu; you can even use oil of your choice)

Onion: 1 cup

Tomato: 1 cup

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Corriander Powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala/Meat Masala - 1 tsp

Aromatic Spices - Cardamom - 3 nos, Clove - 3 Nos, Cinnamon - 2 medium sticks, Bay Leaf - 1 medium, Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Poppy Seeds - 3/4 tsp (freshly roasted)

Bengal Gram (Potukadalai) - 2 tsp

Cashewnuts - 6 Nos.

Coconut Scrapped - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - a bunch

Cilantro - as required 

Water - 1-2 cups

Preparation:

1. In 1/4 cup water soak the cashews and roasted poppy seeds for a while

2. Marinade chicken as mentioned above for 1-2 hours

3. Using less oil finely saute the chopped onion, tomato, Ginger-Garlic Paste, followed by fennel seeds. Cool, grind and keep aside

4. Make a fine paste of the coconut scrap, soaked cashews, poppy seeds and potukadalai

Method:

1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed wok, fry the aromatic spices

2. Now add the grounded onion-tomato paste and cook till done

3. Now add the chicken, and after 5 minutes add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and corriander powder along with required quantity of water

4. Now, when the masalas and spices have blended well with the chicken (takes approx. 10 minutes), add the garam masala powder and give a good mix

5. Add the coconut paste at this stage, and cook till the oil starts to separate

6. Now add salt, curry leaves and drizzle 2 tsps of oil on top, and cook for 2 more minutes

7. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro; Kozhi Kozhumbu is ready!

Karamani (Black-Eyed-Beans) Kozhumbu

I know its been a real long time since i posted any Madras Recipes...heres one!

The difference between other Karaikozhumbu and Authentic-Madras-Karakozhumbu is, we strictly do not use sambar podi, roasted kadali parupu powder and any other aromatic spices cinnamon/clove/fennel) or their masala (garam masala) for our kozhumbu. Also, our karakozhumbu is much spicier and will have a thick consistency compared to the other avatars of the same family.

If you visit any house (bearing nativity) in Chennai, you will not be surprised to see a traditional-thick-black-wok full of freshly-prepared or a day or couple of days older karakozhumbu...yes, it is always there for the simple reasons:

* It goes well with any thing (rice/idly/dosai)

* Stays for longer days (without refrigerating...but requires reheating twice a day...and yes it becomes more thicker and tastes like honey)

* Is economical! compared to sambar that needs dal, which many of our people cannot afford.

Each time I prepare this, I try to keep up my mom's and paati's (Vembuli paati) taste...Am still trying!

Here i go!

You Need:

Karamani/Black-Eyed-Beans - 1 1/2 cups (soaked in water for 3-4 hrs), Pressure cooked for 3-4 whistles
Small Lemon Sized Tamarind - soaked in 1/2 cup water
Sesame oil - adequate
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 6 seeds
Onion - 1 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Garlic - 6-7 (crushed)
Curry leaves - a bunch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tsp
Asfoetida - a pinch
Salt - as per your taste
Water - 1 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat oil, fry mustard, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, and when done add the onions

2. Meantime, extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind without using much water (keep in mind it should be thick, so use only 2 cups of water for the entire recipe). Now, to the extracted tamarind water add turmeric powder, chilli powder, corriander powder, asofetida and little curry leaves, mix well and keep aside

3. Now when onions are nicely fried, add the tomatoes and garlic, close the lid and cook till the tomatoes are finely cooked without being watery

4. When tomatoes are done, add the cooked karamani (if you wish to use vegetables, you can add them at this step) cook for 2 minutes (or till the vegetables are fried enough)

5. Now, add the tamarind-masala water, mix well, add salt and close the lid

6. Cook till the oil is left separately (this will take app. 10 - 15 minutes)

7. Now, add the remaining curry leaves and sprinkle over the cumin seeds powder and pepper powder, (without stirring) cook for 2 more minutes and it is done

8. Keep the lid closed for sometime...when opened, the aroma is sure to float around your kitchen!

This Kozhumbu has no limitations for the choice of vegetable to be used...you can use any vegetable (brinjal, potato, pumpkin, drumstick, yam), or any dry seed/sprout (karamani, mochai, kondakadalai), or even karuvadu (dry fish)...its your creativity & taste!