serves
4
prep
25 minutes
cook
1 hour
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
25
minutes
cooking
1
hour
difficulty
Easy
level
This Chettinad classic was prepared by Mrs Meena Meyappan’s house cooks at her Chennai house. Farmed quail can be cooked in a similar way, as I tasted a few years ago at Bangala, her homestay in Karaikudi.
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cm piece cinnamon stick
- 2 green cardamom pods, cracked
- 2 white onions, finely diced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 kg chicken thigh fillets
Pepper masala
- 3 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 4 small dried red chillies
Instructions
- To make the pepper masala, dry-roast the spices over a gentle heat. Cool, then grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container and use as required.
- Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste.
- Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-based saucepan and fry the cinnamon and cardamom over a medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and stir over a high heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Add half the pepper masala and stir until fragrant. Add the ginger garlic paste and the tomato and fry for a few minutes, then season with the salt and cook, stirring, for another minute or so.
- Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat in the aromatics. Fry for 3−4 minutes until the chicken is beginning to colour. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken is cooked and tender.
- Remove from the heat and check the seasoning. Serve with appam (steamed rice pancakes) or steamed rice.
This recipe is from (Simon and Schuster, $49.99) by Christine Manfield (photography by Anson Smart).
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
This Chettinad classic was prepared by Mrs Meena Meyappan’s house cooks at her Chennai house. Farmed quail can be cooked in a similar way, as I tasted a few years ago at Bangala, her homestay in Karaikudi.
