Chettinad chicken gravy | How to make Chettinad chicken gravy

Chettinad chicken gravy is the world-famous South Indian chicken curry in which chicken cooked tenderly in flavorful spices that are freshly ground. The specialty of this gravy is the unique homemade Chettinad masala.

This Chettinad chicken is an aromatic side dish suitable for rice, dosa and Kerela parotta. This is a semi-thick and spicy gravy, famous in Chettinad cuisine. This is one of the well known Indian cuisines with a variety of veg and nonveg dishes. The wonderful aroma hit our noses while cooking makes one fall for Chettinad and karaikudi dishes.

You may like to hit this Country chicken gravy(Nattu kozhi kulambu). another popular recipe among chicken lovers.

Chettinad special chicken masala:

I am never fond of the variety of readymade masala powders even if it is from popular brands. Always I stick to the way of making my own masalas except few like chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, garam masala and chat masala.

In this fast forward world nowadays everything is available readymade like fish masala, chicken mutton masala, fry masala, chana masala, and many more. Likewise Chettinad masalas also there in the market. But I highly recommend making this masala paste on your own as it gives the excellent fresh burst of aromas to our Chettinad chicken gravy.

Those days people made masala pastes in mortor & pestles or grindstones(ammi in Tamil), and cooked the kuzhambu(gravy) in mud pots. One has to really try this to know its beautiful traditional taste. Who has these things in our modern kitchen? Hence do the best as we can following traditional recipes in modern methods.

Adjust the quantity of the masala items as per your taste preference.

Try to use small onions for any Chettinad gravy varieties as it gives a special taste which is vital for karaikudi preparations. If shallots are not available like me you can replace them with big red onion, but the taste will be slightly compromised. Moreover use fresh coconut for the masala.

Learn how to make this Chettinad chicken kuzhambu with the help of this video.

Chettinad chicken gravy | How to make Chettinad style chicken kuzhambu

Sangskitchen

Chettinad chicken gravy is the world-famous South Indian chicken curry in which chicken cooked tenderly in the freshly-ground flavorful spices.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine chettinad, Indian

Servings 4

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Ingredients:

• 1 kg Chicken (with bones)
• 3 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 cup chopped shallots (or red onion)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp rock salt (as needed)
• Coriander leaves
• Curry leaves

For chettinad masala(to roast & grind):

• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1 cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 star anise
• 3 cloves
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 inch mace
• 1 black stone flower
• 1/2 tbsp Whole peppercorns
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 6 red chillies (as per taste)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 6 whole cashews

Instructions

 

Preparation:

• Peel and chop onions and make ginger garlic paste.
• Wash and chop tomatoes.
• Grate coconut.

Recipe:

• How to make Chettinad masala paste:
• Heat a frying pan and dry roast the whole masala spices one by one given under Chettinad masala ingredients section.
• Add cashew nuts and give a quick stir.
• When the spices give nice aroma, add grated coconut and sauté well with these spices for a few minutes.
• Switch off, let the mixture cool down and grind it to a smooth paste by adding some water.

How to make the gravy:

• In a kadai, heat oil, add fennel seeds and shallot onions(or red onion),
• Fry onions in oil nicely to golden brown color, add few curry leaves.
• Next, add ginger garlic paste(1 tbsp) and mix well. Saute well to remove raw flavor.
• Add chopped tomato(1 cup) and cook till they become soft and mushy.
• Put turmeric powder(1/2 tsp) and chilli powder(1/2 tbsp).
• Add clean chicken pieces(1 kg) into the masala, mix well so that the chicken absorbs all the spices.
• Pour ½ cup of water to cook the masala.
• Add washed chicken pieces into the masala, mix well so that the chicken absorbs all the spices.
• Close the lid for 5 minutes in low heat for the chicken toget cooked in its own water.
• Pour a cup of water, mix, cover with a lid and cook the bones for 8 more minutes on high.
• Pour ½ cup of water if needed to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
• Add required rock salt(2 tsp) and mix well. Cook for 5 more minutes.
• Finally, garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes

Tips/notes:

Use chicken with bones for this gravy to get the traditional taste.

If you do not have whole spices, replace with 1 tsp of garam masala powder(or readymade Chettinad masala) but I recommend using whole spices to get the authentic taste and aroma.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal

Keyword chettinad chicken, chettinad chicken kuzhambu, chettinad recipes, chicken curry, how to make chettinad chicken gravy

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Preparation:

• Peel and chop onions, make ginger garlic paste.
• Wash and chop tomato.
• Grate coconut.

Recipe:

How to make Chettinad masala paste:

• Heat a frying pan and dry roast the whole masala spices one by one given under the Chettinad masala ingredients section. 1 tsp fennel, 1/2 tsp cumin, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 1 green cardamom, 1 star anise, 1 mace, 1 cinnamon, 1 black stone flower, 6 red chillies. Adjust quantity of red chillies as per your taste and quality of yours. Also add 1/2 tbsp peppercorns, 1 tbsp coriander seeds.

• Add cashew nuts(6 to 8) and give a quick stir.

• When the spices give nice aroma, add 1/2 cup of grated coconut and sauté well with these spices for 5 minutes.

• Switch off, let the mixture cool down and grind it to a smooth paste by adding some water.

How to make the gravy:

• In a kadai, heat oil, add fennel seeds and shallot onions(or red onion) and curry leaves.

• Fry onions in oil nicely to golden brown color, add few curry leaves.

• Next, add ginger garlic paste(1 tbsp) and mix well. Saute well to remove raw flavor.

• Add chopped tomato(1 cup) and cook till they become soft and mushy.
• Put turmeric powder(1/2 tsp) and chilli powder(1/2 tbsp).

• Add clean chicken pieces(1 kg) into the masala, mix well so that the chicken absorbs all the spices.
• Close the lid for 5 minutes in low heat for the chicken to get cooked in its own water.

• Pour a cup of water, mix, cover with a lid and cook the bones for 8 more minutes on high.

• Now add ground Chettinad masala paste, mix well.
• Pour ½ cup of water if needed to adjust the consistency of the gravy.

• Add required rock salt(2 tsp) and mix well. Cook for 5more minutes.

• Finally, garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.

Tips/notes:

1. Use chicken with bones for this gravy to get the traditional taste.
2. If you do not have whole spices, replace with 1 tsp of garam masala powder(or readymade Chettinad masala) but I recommend using whole spices to get the authentic taste and aroma.