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Chicken Perattu

Small pieces of chicken slow-cooked in a blend of chilli powder, coriander powder, and a freshly-ground red chilli paste - that is chicken perattu for you.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Kerala
Keyword: chicken curry
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

To be cooked with the chicken

  • 1 kg chicken full chicken cut to pieces
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 1 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

First phase with chilli paste

  • 5 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 7 dry kashmiri chillies
  • salt

Leaves

  • 1 tablespoon kasuri methi dry leaves soaked and drained off water
  • 2 sprig curry leaves
  • 8 mint leaves about 8 leaves

For the dry paste

  • 1/2 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

  • Soak the dry Kashmiri chillies in lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Kashmiri chillies
  • Grind to a coarse paste using a little water used to soak the chillies.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Kashmiri Chilli Paste
  • Heat oil in a cast iron pan/pot (cheenachatti).
  • Temper the mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Tempering the mustard seeds
  • Add the ground chilli paste and salt.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Add the Kashmiri chilli paste to the oil
  • Combine well and fry till the oil starts emerging from the paste.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Fry the paste till oil starts emerging
  • Add the Kasuri methi (soaked in water and drained off), curry leaves, and the mint leaves.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Adding the green leaves
  • Combine well and cook for a minute.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Mix well and fry the leaves
  • Now add the chicken along with the chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Add the chicken with spices
  • Combine well.
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Combine well to coat the chicken in the spice base
  • Close the lid and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes.
  • Heat another pan and heat some coconut oil.
  • To the hot oil, add the coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala.
  • Combine well to make a thick paste.
  • Switch off once the colour becomes dark brown (almost black).
    Chicken Perattu Steps - The fried spices in oil
  • Keep this fried masala paste aside.
  • Now open the pot and continue cooking the chicken without the lid.
  • Stir occasionally and cook till most of the water disappear.
  • Add the fried masala to the chicken.
  • Combine well and continue cooking.
  • Gently stir to evenly distribute the curry base.
  • Switch off after 10 minutes (or before once the curry base becomes dry)
    Chicken Perattu Steps - Almost ready
  • Serve hot. Enjoy as a starter, or with rice and curry, or chapati or porotta.

Notes

When you are cutting the chicken to small pieces, cut through the bones. This will open up the bone marrow and allow the flavours to blend in the curry.