Fried chicken curry

My brother requested this recipe some time back. I found this in master chef Sanjeev Kapoor's Khazana of Indian Recipes, which my boss had kindly presented me after my marriage. It served me well in the early years of my marriage when I slowly learnt beyond omelettes and coconut chutneys. On days when I couldnt trouble my landlady for a basic recipe or call my mom (when phone connections were hard to procure unlike now) to clear a doubt about a certain dish.
Sanjeev Kapoor calls it Kozhi varta kari and V, my husband, calls it the "Curry fried by the Hen" (a literal Malayalam translation of the former).
It is an absolutely fantastic preparation, I tell you. So here it is:

Chicken 1 kg * Tomatoes 3 med. sized

Onions 2 medium sized * Dried red chillies 2

Peppercorns 3 tsp * Ginger 1 two inch piece

Garlic 6-8 cloves * Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Lemon juice 1 tblspn * Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp 1 tbsp * Garam masala powder 1 tsp

Salt as per taste * Curry leaves 12-15

Coriander powder 2 tsp * Chopped coriander leaves 2 tblsp

• Wash and cut chicken into 16 or so small pieces.


• Chop onions and tomatoes, separately.


• Crush pepper corns coarsely.


• Make a paste of dried red chillies, ginger and garlic.


• Marinate the chicken pieces in ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, lemon juice turmeric powder and salt for 3 hrs.


• Heat a lil oil and saute the chicken on high heat, till chicken pieces are dry and slightly brown. Keep them aside.


• Add the remaining oil in the pan and fry the onions till they are brown. Add the curry leaves and stir well. Add tomatoes, salt and coriander powder and cook till the oil leaves the masala.


• Add the chicken and a lil water. Cover and cook till the chicken is done and the masala coats the pieces.


• Add tamarind pulp dissolved in half cup water. Simmer for 10 min, stirring occasionally.


• Add garam masala powder. Adjust the seasoning and add the ground pepper corns.


• Garnish with copped coriander leaves.


• Goes well with steamed rice or bread. (That's my daughter enjoying her chicken leg.)

Good luck!