Chicken Chalna - South Indian Style

Cooking Time : 20 mins

Chicken chalna is the best side dish with Chicken Biriyani, Parota, Idli, Dosa, Rotis.

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken  (with bones)              300 gms
Big Onion                               2
Big Tomato                            1
Ginger garlic paste                   1 tbsp
Chilli powder                          1 tsp
Turmeric powder                    1/4 tsp
Curd                                      2 tsp
Garam masala powder             1 tsp
Cinnamon sticks                      1
Cloves                                    1
Star Anise                               1
Bay Leaf                                 1
Salt                                        To Taste
Coriander leaves                      To Garnish

TO GRIND:
Cashew nuts                8
Grated Cocunut           1/4 cup
Cumin seeds                1 tbsp
Coriander seeds           11/2 tbsp
Red chillies                 5
Fennel seeds               1 tsp
Black Pepper              1 tsp


METHOD:

1. Clean the chicken well and cut into pieces.
2. In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add cashew nuts. Wait till it becomes light brown color. Add Cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, red chillies, pepper and allow it to cool. Grind to a fine paste along with the cocunut and fennel seeds and keep it aside.
3. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and wait till the aroma comes.
4. Add onion and fry till it becomes golden. Add Ginger garlic paste. Add tomaotes, salt and stir well. Once the tomato is tender, add chicken and cook for 2 mins till the chicken becomes white. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and stir well. Add the ground paste and stir well. Pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame and keep it in low flame for 10 mins. Once done, allow the cooker to cool and open.
5. Add garam masala powder and keep it in low flame for 2 mins and Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips:

• Use Chicken with bones to get good taste.
• Always use freshly grated cocunut.
• Add ginger garlic paste immediately after frying the onions to get good flavour.
• Once the pressure cooking is done for 3 whistles, always keep in low flame so that the masala gets mixed well.
• Add Garam masala at the final step to get good taste for chalna.