Roast Chicken Madurai Masala Recipe
 Madurai,
a town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is noted for its mild
dishes, of which this chicken recipe is typical. The ingredients list
may seem rather long, but the dish is in fact very simple to make.
Ingredients: (Serves 4; Preparation
Time: 1 hour)
4 chicken thighs, skin on
2 teaspoons salt
˝ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 curry leaves
˝ teaspoon cumin seeds
˝ teaspoon fennel seeds
3 bay leaves
200 g/7 oz onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger puree
1 tablespoon fresh garlic puree
150 g/5˝ oz tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon ground cilantro (coriander)
˝ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander)
leaves
10 fresh mint leaves, shredded
Method:
Clean the chicken thighs, removing any
excess fat. Rub with the salt and ground turmeric, and set aside. Heat
the oil in a pot over a medium to medium-high heat. Add the curry leaves
and cumin and fennel seeds, and fry for a few minutes until brown and
fragrant, shaking the pan vigorously to prevent burning.
Add the bay leaves and onions, and sauté for
6-8 minutes until the onions are lightly golden. Add the ginger and
garlic purees, and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Tip in the tomatoes, and
continue to cook until almost dry.
Mix the ground cilantro and chili powder
with a little water to make a paste, and add to the pan. Cook, stirring,
for 1 minute, then push the fried paste aside.
Lay the chicken thighs in the pan skin-side
down, and spread the paste all over them, rubbing it in well. Cover,
reduce the heat and allow the chicken pieces to brown for a few minutes
on the skin side. Add 2 tablespoons water to create steam and facilitate
the cooking.
Turn the chicken thighs over and continue
cooking for 15 minutes or until done. To test whether the chicken is
cooked, pierce the thickest part of one thigh with a metal skewer; if
the juices that run out are clear, the chicken is ready.
Sprinkle over the fresh cilantro (coriander)
and mint leaves, cover the pan and remove from the heat, ready for
serving hot with some flat bread or basmati rice.
Happy Cooking,
Carol |
