Thursday, November 10, 2011

Coriander Chicken

I'm having one of those evenings. Stuck indoors, wistfully imagining being someplace else. Maybe someplace warmer. Someplace more exotic. Do you ever get that way? If you're a fellow foodie, you also understand when I say that the longing to be someplace warm and exotic is usually accompanied by a craving to eat something..."different". If you're having one of those days too, this dish may be something to try. (This is something so wonderful about Indian food...the incredible variety of dishes you can enjoy.)

It was really this longing, combined with my Kerala heritage that inspired me to put together this dish for dinner. It's a recipe that I have been making for years, one that quickly became a household favorite. This one is not quite a curry, and not quite a dry dish but, rather, something in between. The Malayalam word for this is called "piralen" and can be made with really any kind of meat, and uses an array of fragrant spices. As I mentioned, traditionally this dish has less gravy, but I have adapted it to my kitchen and the apparatuses available to me (no, I do not have a mud pot or open fire to cook these things in!) If you would prefer to try something a little bit closer to the original version, you might want to remove the chicken once cooked and continue cooking down the gravy until it is drier then put the chicken back.


Coriander Chicken


You will need:

1.5 lbs of chicken, thighs or breasts cut into manageable pieces
3 tbsp corriander powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 cup finely chopped red or white onion
2 tbsp minced garlic + 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger (or 3 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste)
2 tbsp vinegar
1 teaspoon salt (or more or less to taste)
2" piece of cinnamon
8 cloves
2 whole green cardamoms
1 star anise
2 cups or more water for the gravy

Grind or pound together the cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, and star anise. Mix this and all other ingredients except chicken and water to form a marinade. Add the chicken, mix well to coat with the marinade mixture and let marinate for at least 1 hour covered in the refrigerator. Then, transfer to a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan, add enough water to cover the meat and bring up to a boil. Then, cook uncovered on low heat until done. This took about 40 minutes on my stove for chicken thighs (boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces will take much less time, probably around 20-25 minutes.) Serve as a curry with rice or flatbread. You can also remove the chicken once cooked and continue cooking down the gravy until it is drier, as the dish traditionally calls for. Enjoy!

4 comments:

Sonia said...

Really looking forward to trying this

niha said...

Thanks Sonia!

Begonia said...

Dear Niha:
Kerala! I have an old friend who retired and returned home to Kerala a few years ago. It really IS a small world isn't it?

I'd like to try this recipe, but I am clueless about a few of the spices: red chili powder and green cardamom pods. Could I substitute paprika for the red chili powder, or does this mean a trip to Penzey's or Woodman's? How key are the green cardamom pods (to an untrained palate)? Could I get away with leaving them out this one time? Do tell. Begonia

P.S. Sorry you are feeling homesick. I agree that comfort food is in order, although books also work for me.

niha said...

Hi Begonia :)
Oh yes, Kerala...not only is it a truly beautiful place, it offers some of the most wonderful food I have ever eaten.

As for substitutes, Cardamom definitely has a unique aroma/flavor but in a pinch you could do nutmeg, allspice, or some combination of both. Although, I guess no one would notice if you left it out altogether :p

Red chilli powder - the better substitute is usually cayenne vs. paprika (less smoky/sweet). Red pepper flakes would work too, and you could just powder it when you grind/pound the cinnamon, cloves, etc. But the heat level will be much lower with the flakes, tablespoon for tablespoon. This can be good or bad I suppose!

Have fun with the recipe! I do hope you like it. You'll have to let me know the household verdict.