Ingredients (Makes 1 – 1.5 cup)
1. Chicken – 350 gm, cut into small pieces
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder – 2 – 3 tsp
Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – As required
2. Vegetable oil – 1/2 cup, to deep fry chicken
3. Gingelly oil / nallenna – 1/4 cup
4. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1 pinch
5. Ginger and garlic – 1.5 – 2 tbsp each, thinly sliced
Green chilly – 1 – 2, slit
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder – 1.5 – 2 tbsp ( or 1 tbsp regular chilly powder + 1 tbsp kashmiri chilly powder)
Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek powder / uluva podi – 1/4 tsp
Hing / asafoetida – 1 – 2 pinches
Salt – To taste
7. Vinegar – 1/2 cup
Method
1. Combine chicken with all the other ingredients numbered 1. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Heat vegetable oil or gingelly oil in a kadai over high heat. Fry chicken pieces for 5 – 6 minutes in 1 – 2 batches. Do not over fry, they will turn hard. Remove to a plate.
3. Heat 1/4 cup gingelly oil / nallenna in another kadai over medium high heat (you can use the leftover gingelly oil from frying the chicken). Splutter mustard seeds and fry 1 pinch fenugreek seeds until reddish brown. Add ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Fry until golden. Switch off the flame. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, fenugreek powder and hing/ kaya podi. Switch off. Stir for a minute until their raw smell leaves. Switch on the flame and add vinegar immediately. Bring to a boil. Taste-check for salt. Add fried chicken and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for a minute. Switch off. Cool down completely and transfer to a clean air-tight container. Pour 1 – 2 tbsp heated and cooled gingelly oil on top (optional, done for a longer shelf life). It tastes best after one day. Keep refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
Instead of adding vinegar is there any other option? Coz we dont use vinegar.
Hey Maya, thank you for this recipe. I’m making it for the third time now. My family loves it!