cannelini bean chettinut
(from nbhattacharyya’s recipe box)
It is a substitute for chicken chettinut.
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- 5 tbsp oil
- For the Spice Paste:
- 1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 8-10 dried hot red chillies, broken into halves
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tsp white poppy seeds
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cm/1 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 -2tsp salt
- You also need:
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 cardamom pods
- 2.5cm/1in cinnamon stick, broken
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp urad dal
- 15-20 fresh curry leaves, if avaliable
- 2 meduim-sized onions (175g/6oz), peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- one 1kg/2 1/4 lb chicken, skinned and cut into smallish serving pieces
- (breast halves into 3 and legs into drumsticks and thighs)
Directions
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Method
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Make the spice paste: In a small frying-pan, heat 1tbsp of the oil over a medium-
-
high heat. When hot add the cumin seeds, chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds,
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black peppercorns and poppy seeds. Stir and fry briefly until lightly roasted. Now put
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these into a clean coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Empty into the container of
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an electric blender. Put the garlic, ginger, turmeric and salt into the blender as well,
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along with 6-8tbsp water. Process until you have a fine paste, pushing down with a
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rubber spatula if needed. Set aside.
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Heat the remaining 4tbsp oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. When
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hot, add the bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves and urad
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dal. Stir and fry briefly until the urad dal turns red, then add the curry leaves if
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using. Stir once or twice and add the onions. Fry the onions until they are soft and
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just lightly coloured. Now add the spice paste. Continue to stir and fry for about 4-6
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minutes, adding a little water to prevent sticking. Add the tomato. Stir and fry for a
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further 3-4 minutes.
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Add the chicken pieces to the onion and spice mixture. Stir until they are well
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coated, then add 600ml/1pt/2� cups water, just enough to cover. Bring to the boil.
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Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is almost cooked, about
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20-25 minutes.
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Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces. Turn the heat up to medium-
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high, and reduce the sauce until very thick. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
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Replace the chicken, fold gently into the sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes
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before serving.