yummy everyday meal: Chicken Uppu Varuval/Kozhi Uppu Varuval

Uppu Varuval is a Chettinadu delicacy that can be made with either chicken or mutton.A simple dry preparation uses only dried red chillies and some basic spices.

Shallots and the red chillies enhances the taste and flavor of the recipe.Shallots tastes best for this preparation but regular onion also makes wonder.

This spicy curry couples up great with simple rasam or curd rice but with pulao too.This fry takes only 30 minutes to cook and tastes better when it is served hot.Also the red chilly in the fry goes very well with curd rice.

Chicken Uppu Varuval/Kozhi Uppu Varuval

Basic Information

Preparation time 20 minutes
Marination time 30 minutes

Cooking time 30-35 minutes

Serves 4(generously)

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chicken( boneless)	1.5 lbs
Shallots(thinly sliced)	10-15
Tomato(finely chopped)	1 medium size
Garlic/poondu(finely chopped)	7-8 cloves
Ginger/inji (pounded)	2 tsp
Red chilly/varamilagi	8-9(broken)
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder	1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds/sombu	1/2 tsp
Curry leaves/karivepillai	2-3 sprigs
Lemon juice	2 tsp
Salt	1.5 tsp
Oil	2 tbs
Coriander leaves(chopped)	2 tbs

Roast and Grind

Ingredient	Quantity
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1/2 tsp
Black pepper/milagu	1/2 tsp

For the marination

Ingredient	Quantity
Red chilly powder	1/4 tsp
Ginger&garlic paste	1 tsp
Turmeric powder/manjal podi	1/8 tsp
Salt	1/4 tsp

Method

Wash and clean the chicken and cut into bite size pieces.Add the ingredients given for marination to the chicken and mix it well.Keep it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Dry roast the cumin and pepper in a medium flame till nice aroma comes out.Put off the flame and powder it coarsely.

Now in a pan heat the oil and crackle the fennel seeds.Add the chopped onion/shallots,garlic,pounded ginger and curry leaves.Saute it with a pinch of salt till transparent.Add in the broken red chillies and fry it for a minute.

Add the chopped tomato and cook it until soft.Add in the marinate chicken.

Saute it for 4-5 minutes or till the chicken is half cooked.Now goes in the salt and garam masala powder,give it a mix.

Add around a cup of water and cook it covered for 5-6 minutes or till the chicken is tender.

Once the chicken is completely cooked remove the lid and cook it uncovered till all the moisture evaporates.Now add in the ground cumin and pepper powder,coriander leaves,lemon juice.Mix it well and put off the flame.