Chicken Chettinad & Basmati Rice

📝 Ingredients

• 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 280 g basmati rice + 450 ml water (for cooking the rice)
• 2 brown onions (about 120 g each)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 4 garlic cloves + 20 g fresh ginger
• 40 g desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp ground coriander + 2 tsp black peppercorns + 1 tsp cumin seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick + 3 cloves
• 1 tsp chilli flakes + 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 250 ml hot water (4 tbsp for the masala, the rest for the sauce)
• 15 g fresh coriander
• Salt

🍴 Utensils

• Frying pan
• Mini chopper
• Flameproof casserole dish with lid
• Saucepan with lid
• Chopping board
• Knife

📖 Steps

1. Cut the chicken into 4 cm pieces, season with salt and mix with the turmeric. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel the garlic and ginger, then grate them or chop them very finely together.
2. Dry-toast the peppercorns, cumin and fennel in a frying pan over a medium heat for 2 min, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the coconut, ground coriander and chilli and continue for 2 min until the coconut is lightly golden.
3. Tip the mixture onto a plate to stop the cooking and leave to cool slightly for 5 min. Blitz it as finely as possible in the mini chopper, then add 4 tbsp of the 250 ml water and blitz again to make a thick paste: this is the masala.
4. Heat the oil in a casserole dish over a medium heat. Let the cinnamon and cloves sizzle in it for 30 seconds, then add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 min, stirring regularly, until nicely golden: this is the flavour base.
5. Add the garlic and ginger, stir for 1 min, then pour in the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 min over a medium heat, crushing them with the spoon, until the sauce thickens and the oil starts to bead around the edges.
6. Stir in the masala and chicken, mixing well to coat each piece. Fry for 3 min, then pour in the rest of the 250 ml hot water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 25 min over a low heat, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks.
7. Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Put it in a saucepan with 450 ml water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, cover and cook for 12 min over a very low heat. Leave to rest for 10 min without lifting the lid.
8. Remove the lid from the curry and let it reduce for 5 min if the sauce is too thin: it should coat the chicken. Remove the cinnamon and cloves, adjust the salt and scatter over the chopped coriander. Serve with the rice, fluffed up with a fork.