Chicken Roast (South Indian Kerala)

A fried chicken recipe which is full of aromatic flavour and tangy spices. This dish brings out the authentic and most favourite south Indian spice of the dish. You can cook this dish easily at home for a dinner party as a side dish. It goes well with some rice as well as any Indian bread of your choice. Kerala chicken roast is a semi-dry, delicious blend of marinated and tender chicken, fried and sautéed with a spicy, tangy masala paste. Teamed up with some chillies, fried onions and lemon juice to bring out that extra zing in this dish.

2.2 lbs chicken (1 kg)

Marinade:
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
¼ tsp. chilli powder
¼ tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice
5 cloves garlic
3-5 green chillies
kosher or sea salt

Roasting:
3 medium onions
1 large tomato, remove skin and make purée, blanched
2 green chillies, slit
3 sprigs curry leaves
¼ tsp. garam masala powder
¼ tsp. pepper powder
1 lemon, freshly juiced
oil

Clean and cut the chicken into medium sized pieces.

Make a paste of all the ingredients under marinade.

Marinate the chicken pieces with this paste and keep aside for an hour.

Cut onions into very thin slices and fry in hot oil. Drain them and keep aside.

Fry the chicken pieces in the same oil until almost done. Keep the pan covered so that the chicken does not get browned, but is cooked inside. Drain them and keep aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in another pan (You can use the same oil in which we fried the chicken pieces. This will enhance the flavour). Add slit green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté for 1 minute.

Add the tomato paste to this and sauté for 1 minute.

Now add the prepared chicken and roast until it is dry.

Make sure that all the chicken pieces are well coated with the tomato paste.

Sprinkle garam masala and pepper powder and mix well.

Add lemon juice and mix well. Check for salt. Add a little if needed.

Now add the fried onions and mix well.

Serve.

Makes 4 servings.