Country Chicken Stew:(Tamizhar Style)

Country Chicken Kuzhambu. Country Chicken Curry. Kozhi Kuzhambu. Koti Curry. Murgi Curry.

Ingredients:

Country Chicken/Cage Free Chicken – 1 kilo (Skin-on, Bone-in)
Red Onions 2 – peeled & chopped roughly
Country Garlic 2 whole – peeled & chopped roughly
Ginger 70 grams – peeled & chopped roughly
Country tomatoes small – 4
Green chilies 3 – slitted
Curry leaves 1 cup
Salt
Turmeric powder ½ + ½ spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander seeds powder 1 spoon
Black pepper – 1 fistful – semi crushed roughly using mortar and pestle
Cinnamon sticks 2
Cloves 5
Bay leaves 2
Star Anise 2
Fennel Seeds 2-3 spoons
Sesame oil 1 cup
Coriander leaves – chopped for garnishing.

Method:

Wash and clean chicken in running water. Add ½ spoon of turmeric powder and set aside for 20 minutes and then wash the chicken again….strain and drain the excess water. Set aside.

In a heavy bottomed, wide and deep iron wok, heat oil. Add fennel seeds, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves and cloves. Let them splutter.

Now add slitted chilies and curry leaves. Then add onions to it…..fry till golden color. Followed by garlic and ginger. Fry them for few minutes.

Further add tomatoes and fry real good. Add salt, turmeric, coriander and chili powder. Then add chicken and fry till it turns opaque.

Add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook over medium heat. Maybe for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is done.

If needed add further 2 cups of water and allow it to boil. Then add crushed pepper and bring it to boil. The stew should be really thin.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve warm along with steam-cooked rice, Appam , Iddiyappam or Idlies or Dosas.