Chicken Peratal
This delicious rich and fragrant Tamil South Indian and Malaysian curry has flavour for days. A complex blend of spice surrounds the tender chicken pieces in a dry sauce that delivers personality to the max.
Servings: 6
Calories: 419kcal
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 onions
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 kg chicken thighs cut into large pieces
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise
- 4 cloves
- 4 black cardamom
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 stem curry leaves
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 tbsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp fennel powder
- 2 tbsp Malaysian meat curry powder (or Madras curry powder)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Season chicken with turmeric and salt.
- Blend the garlic, ginger and the chopped onions into a paste and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan and fry the chicken pieces in oil until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, black cardamom, fennel seeds and curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds.
- Add the onion paste and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, meat curry powder and sugar and stir well to combine everything.
- Return the chicken to the pan and stir. Let this come to a simmer before adding around 1 cup of water (250ml).
- Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently bubbling for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cilantro and you're good to go.
Notes
Because this dish is enjoyed in South India and Malaysia, the ingredients can vary widely to incorporate local ingredients. It's not uncommon to find lemongrass and pandan leaves in the Malay version along with some recipes that use coconut milk/cream, both commonly found in Southern Indian and Malaysian cuisine.
You can store in the fridge for up to a week (well covered), or in the freezer for 3+ months. Reheat until piping hot. If you're reheating from frozen add a little water about (1/4 cup) to help avoid the sauce drying out too much.
Serve with basmati or jasmine rice or Indian breads or flaky Malaysian roti.
Nutrition
Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg