Chicken Sukka

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ready In: 45 mins

12 - whole roasted dried red chillies

2 tablespoons - coriander seeds

½ teaspoon - fennel seeds

1 teaspoon - black peppercorns

1 tablespoon - poppy seeds

1 teaspoon - fenugreek seeds

½ teaspoon - turmeric powder

1 tablespoon - tamarind paste

1 medium - fresh coconut

1 teaspoon - cumin seeds

2 cloves - garlic

5 tablespoons - ghee (clarified butter)

1½ lb - chicken breasts

8 - curry leaves

1 large - onion

- salt

First of all, make the masala paste. Heat 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter (ghee) in a pan and roast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, poppy seeds, fenugreek seeds, till aromatic. Allow to cool. Dry grind along with roasted red chillies, turmeric powder and tamarind paste. Set this masala paste aside for later use.
Drain the 'milk' from the coconut then crack it open and coarsely grate the flesh. Peel and crush (mince) the garlic and mix this with the coconut and cumin seeds.
Remove any skin from the chicken breasts and cut them into bite-size pieces then, in a large heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the chicken along with the first masala paste, adding a little water and salt according to taste. Allow this to cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked. Mix in the coconut paste and continue to cook over a low heat for few more minutes or the till the chicken is completely cooked.
While the chicken is cooking, peel and finely chop the onion. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a pan, add the curry leaves and onion and fry gently until the onion turns golden brown (about 5 minutes). Stir this into the Chicken Sukka and serve hot with rice or Indian bread.