Name: Nadan chicken peralan
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 800g small chicken thighs and drumsticks skins removed; 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped; 5cm piece of ginger roughly chopped; 1 heaped tsp of ground coriander; ½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 3 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; 10 curry leaves; ½ tsp fenugreek seeds; 350g onions thinly sliced; 200g tomatoes finely chopped; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 tsp caster sugar; 1 tsp ground fennel; 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves; cooked rice, paratha or pathiri to serve; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; ½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil; 5 curry leaves; 2 green chillies slit lengthways

A plate of nadan chicken peralan with curry leaves on top

800g small chicken thighs and drumsticks
skins removed
4 garlic cloves
roughly chopped
5cm piece of ginger
roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp of ground coriander
½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 tbsp coconut oil
or vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
350g onions
thinly sliced
200g tomatoes
finely chopped
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp ground fennel
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
cooked rice, paratha or pathiri
to serve

CHICKEN MARINADE

1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp kashmiri chilli powder

TEMPERING INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp coconut oil
or vegetable oil
5 curry leaves
2 green chillies
slit lengthways

Method

step 1
Put the chicken in a large bowl with the marinade ingredients and a pinch of salt. Mix well and leave in the fridge for 1 hr or preferably overnight. Put the garlic and ginger in a blender with a splash of water, and whizz to a smooth, fine paste.
step 2
In a small bowl, combine the ground coriander, chilli powder and turmeric with 2-3 tbsp of water to make a paste. Mix well.
step 3
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat and toast the mustard seeds for 20 seconds. Add the curry leaves and fenugreek seeds, stir then add the onions. Stir well and fry for 20-30 mins or until they begin to turn light golden brown. Add the garlic and ginger paste, and fry for a minute – the paste might stick to the bottom of the pan so make sure to stir. Add the spice paste to the pan and stir for 20 seconds.
step 4
Add the tomatoes and fry for 6 mins, making sure to scrape the base of the pan as the moisture from the tomatoes is released. Mash the tomatoes slightly using the back of the spoon – they will begin to soften, making a rich, thick masala base.
step 5
Add the chicken and fry for 8-10 mins. Stir well, coating the chicken in the masala. Add the vinegar and sugar, and season to taste. Stir for 2 mins, then add 250ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered with a lid, for 18 mins, stirring halfway through. Add the ground fennel and ½ tsp of coarsely ground black pepper, and continue to simmer for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest.
step 6
Heat the oil for tempering in a pan over a medium heat and, once hot, turn off the heat. Add the curry leaves and chillies to the hot oil, stir well then pour over the chicken gravy. Top with the chopped coriander. Serve warm with rice, paratha or pathiri.