We were expecting some guests at home. My wife Nisha and my mom had made all the dishes for the evening. Most of the dishes were Vegetarian, so I decided to supplement the Menu by making a quick preparation of a Kerala style Cornish hen/chicken curry.
It was a challenge to cook and handle the camera at the same time ! I will look forward to your comments. Happy cooking!
Kerala Style Cornish Hen/Chicken (Serves 10 - 12)
Ingredients
Cornish hen or small chicken – 5lbs
Red Onions (chopped) – 3 cups
Cardamom (small) – 10-12
Cardamom (black) – 2
Cloves – a few
Bay leaves - a few
Cinnamon - 2 pieces
Star anise – a few
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp.
Red chili powder – 3 tablespoons
Coriander powder – 5 tablespoons
Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
Chopped garlic – 1 tablespoon
Fresh ginger – 1 small piece cut into julienne or ginger powder – 1 tablespoon
Plain yogurt – 4 ounces
Vegetable oil – ½ cup
1. Remove the skin, cut into small pieces, rinse, dry with a paper towel and set aside in a mixing bowl.
2. Set aside the whole spices like small cardamom, black cardamom, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon on a small plate.
3. On another plate set asdie ground spices - red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder.
4. Chop onions( preferably red onions).
5. Add the ground spices like red chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder on to a skillet and warm them up for a minute or two with a few drops of oil, making sure not burn the spices.
6. Add the warmed up spices on to the cornish hen/chicken along with the plain yogurt, and a few sprig of curry leaves. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator for about an hour.
7. In a thick bottom pan, heat oil add the whole spices - cumin, cardamom(small), black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, bayleaves - add chopped onions. When the onions are kind of translucent, add curry leaves and continue to fry the onions till they get a nice dark color as shown ( do not burn the onions)
8. Now add the marinated cornish hen/chicken and continue to stir for a few minutes. Cover and cook on a slow fire, occasionally stirring till the cornish hen/chicken is done.
Note : if you like gravy in this dish, you can add some water. My personal preference is to cook without any water.
