yummy everyday meal: Village Style Chicken Kuzhambhu

Starting the second week of Blogging Marathon #90 with Regional dishes as theme.Foe next few days, I will be showcasing the recipes popular in particular region of India.For this theme I chose to share some of the village side recipes from the Tamilnadu region.

Village or country side recipes are very tasty and flavorful without any additives or fancy ingredients.Freshly ground spices are mostly used,stone mortar is used to grind the spices.Also the cooking is made in traditional stove and iron or earthenware is used for most of the cooking.

Coming to the recipe its a simple yet spicy gravy served with rice and idlys.This recipe is made with freshly ground spices particularly with country chicken.The spices used not only enhances the aroma but also gives a nice consistency to the gravy.

I wanted to cook this recipe in an earthenware(manchatti). But the size of mine is small and couldn't make the quantity I wanted.So used the regular stainless steel pan but the taste and flavor will be doubled if it is cooked in an earthenware.

Village Style Chicken Kuzhambhu

Basic Information

Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 40-45 minutes

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chicken( with bone or boneless)	3 lbs
Onion(finely chopped)	2 (medium size)
Tomato	1 medium size
Ginger&Garlic Paste	2 tbs
Green Chilly/pachamilagi	4-5 (slit lengthy)
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Curry leaves/karivepillai	1-2 sprigs
Lemon juice	2 tsp
Salt	1.5 -2 tsp
Oil	3-4 tbs
Coriander leaves(finely chopped)	2 tbs

Roast and grind to a fine paste

Ingredient	Quantity
Red chilly/varamilagai	6-7
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1 tsp
Black pepper/milagu	2 tsp
Fennel seeds/sombu	1 tsp
Coriander powder/dhaniya podi	3 tbs

Grind to a fine paste

Ingredient	Quantity
Coconut(grated)	2 tbs
Poppy seeds/kasakasa	1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds/sombu	1/2 tsp

For the tempering

Ingredient	Quantity
Cloves/lavangam	4-5
Cinnamon/pattai	2 inch
Fennel seeds/sombu	1/2 tsp

Method

Wash and clean the chicken and cut into bite size pieces and keep it aside.

In a tsp of oil,roast the red chilly,fennel seeds,cumin seeds and black pepper.Once its roasted,reduce the flame to low and add in the coriander powder,mix it well.Keep it in the flame for 30 seconds.Put off the flame,after cooling grind it to a fine paste with water.Also grind the coconut separately to a fine paste and set it aside.

In a pan,heat the oil and do the tempering,.Add in the chopped onion,green chilly and curry leaves,saute it with a pinch of salt until translucent.Add in the ginger&garlic paste,fry it till the raw smell disappears.Noe goes in the chopped tomato and cook it for a minute.

Add in the chicken and give it a mix till it changes the color. At this stage add in the ground masala paste ,salt and turmeric powder.Adjust the consistency with the water.Cook it covered in a medium flame for 12-15 minutes.Stir in between to avoid burning.

Once the chicken is almost done add in the coconut paste and let it boil for 3-4 minutes.Simmer it for 7- 10 minutes or till the oil floats on top.Add in the chopped coriander leaves and put off the flame.Add in the lemon juice and give it a mix.

Serve it warm with rice.

Do not add more of coconut paste a it will tend to change the taste of the kuzhambhu.
Since the kuzhambhu uses red chilly,green chilly and black pepper,keep an eye on the spice level and alter according to personal preference.