Kerala Roadside Chicken
In the south Indian state of Kerala, a street stall selling food is called a thattukada, and one of the most well-known dishes served is something called chicken fry, or thattu chicken, which serves as the basis for Kerala Roadside Chicken.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½-inch-piece ginger, peeled
- 1-½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tsp. Kashmiri chili powder or substitute hot paprika
- 2 tsp. ground fennel seeds
- 2 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 3 cups coconut oil
For the Garnish:
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 whole small dried Japones or arbol chiles, broken into 3 pieces each
For Assembly and Serving:
- 12 to 15 curry leaves
- Flatbread, your choice
Instructions
To prepare the chicken:
- Smash and chop the garlic and ginger.
- Using a mortar and pestle, blend them together into a paste.
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic-ginger paste, spices and salt; mix well so the spices are evenly distributed.
- Set chicken aside, covered, in the refrigerator for an hour.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the coconut oil, on medium heat, until a small piece of chicken sizzles vigorously when added.
- Add as much chicken which fits comfortably in one layer and deep-fry for 5 to 6 minutes, turning any pieces poking out of the oil halfway through, if necessary, until every piece is cooked through.
- Remove from skillet and set the fried chicken aside to drain on a paper-towel-lined plate; repeat with the remaining chicken.
To prepare the garnish:
- Heat coconut oil, in a medium sauté pan, over high heat.
- When a small piece of shallot sizzles vigorously in the oil, add the shallots, dried chilis and curry leaves.
- Cook, stirring often, until shallots are golden brown; 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garnish to the fried chicken and serve with flatbread of choice.
Notes
When you do run across fresh curry leaves you should buy more than you need. They freeze well. Just drop them in a baggie and press out the air. They’ll keep for months.
