Stir Fried Chettinad Chicken Recipes

CHETTINAD PEPPER CHICKEN RECIPE COURTESY OF MADHUR JAFFREY

Steps:

• Make the spice paste: In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium-high heat. When hot, add cumin seeds, chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns and poppy seeds. Stir and fry briefly until lightly roasted. Put these into a large coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Empty into the container of an electric blender. Add garlic, ginger, tumeric and salt to the blender as well, along with 6 to 8 tablespoons of water. Process until you have a fine paste, pushing down with a rubber spatula if needed.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat. When hot, add bay leaves, cardamon pods, cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves and urad dal. Stir and fry briefly until urad dal turns red, then add curry leaves, if using. Stir once or twice and add onions. Fry onions until they are soft and lightly colored. Now add the spice paste. Continue to stir and fry for about 4 to 6 minutes, adding a little water to prevent sticking. Add the tomato and stir and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces to the onion and spice mixture. Stir until they are well coated then add 2 1/2 cups water, just enough to cover. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is almost cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and reduce the sauce until very thick. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Replace the chicken, fold gently into the sauce, and cook for a further 5 minutes before serving.
• *urad dal is a small, pale yellow split pea.
• Suggested wine: Rosemont Estate Shiraz Cabernet 1997.

STIR-FRIED CHETTINAD CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into 3/4-inch pieces and put in a bowl. Add the salt, a very generous quantity of black pepper, the ginger, turmeric, and cayenne. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Pour the oil into a wok or large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds, urad dal, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and red chilies. As soon as the mustard seeds pop, a matter of seconds, put in the curry leaves, onions, and chicken. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through and has browned. Add the tomatoes and stir for 30 seconds. Check for salt, adding a light sprinkling if needed.

CHICKEN STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Place the chicken breast in the freezer until firm enough to thinly slice, about 20 minutes. Using a sharp or serrated knife, thinly slice the chicken 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a medium bowl and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and mix well. Set aside in a cool place for 20 minutes.
• Whisk the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl; set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken slices in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until they just turn opaque, about 45 seconds. Flip and cook, undisturbed, until almost entirely opaque, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Remove to a bowl.
• Add the ginger and garlic to the wok. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is slightly golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and toss to coat; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and carrot; toss to combine. Add the Shaoxing wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the chicken stock, white pepper if using, chicken and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
• Mix the cornstarch mixture in the bowl until well combined then add to the wok. Stir until everything is nicely coated, reduce the heat to medium low and cover with a lid. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with the sesame oil. Toss until everything is well combined and transfer to a serving platter. Enjoy warm with steamed rice on the side.

CHICKEN STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and corn starch in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Mix ginger, garlic, and red pepper into sauce; coat chicken with marinade and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir bell pepper, water chestnuts, broccoli, carrots, and onion until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet and keep warm.
• Remove chicken from marinade, reserving liquid. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chicken until slightly pink on the inside, about 2 minutes per side; return vegetables and reserved marinade to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve over rice.