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 Time15mins
Cook Time20mins
Total Time50mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Kerala
Keyword: chicken curry
Servings: 4people
Ingredients
To be cooked with the chicken
1kgchickenfull chicken cut to pieces
1/2tablespooncoriander powder
1tablespoonkashmiri chilli powder
1/2teaspoon turmeric powder
First phase with chilli paste
5tablespooncoconut oil
2teaspoonmustard seeds
7dry kashmiri chillies
salt
Leaves
1tablespoonkasuri methidry leaves soaked and drained off water
2sprigcurry leaves
8mint leavesabout 8 leaves
For the dry paste
1/2tablespoonkashmiri chilli powder
1tablespooncoriander powder
1/4teaspoongaram masala
1tablespooncoconut oil
Instructions
Soak the dry Kashmiri chillies in lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
Grind to a coarse paste using a little water used to soak the chillies.
Heat oil in a cast iron pan/pot (cheenachatti).
Temper the mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
Add the ground chilli paste and salt.
Combine well and fry till the oil starts emerging from the paste.
Add the Kasuri methi (soaked in water and drained off), curry leaves, and the mint leaves.
Combine well and cook for a minute.
Now add the chicken along with the chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder.
Combine well.
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).
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)
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.