Chicken cooked and tossed with the right amount of spices offers a multitude of delicious possibilities. This is one such recipe giving a slightly different twist to the regular chicken dishes. The difference is the texture. Since the chicken is shredded, the spices blend more easily and gives a nice flavor.
I remember watching this in a roadside restaurant in my hometown for the first time. I enjoyed watching the "kothu" (shred) part on the large tava with steel lades and then tossing the chicken into the spices. Just watching it made me drool for the dish. I then recently learned the recipe through a TV show and couldn't wait to try. I have now tried this a few times with slight modifications and this has become a standard recipe in my cook book now.
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs with bones - 1.5 lbs
- Chopped Onions - 1 cup
- Ginger/Garlic paste - 1.5 tbsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Chopped tomatoes - 1 cup
- Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
- Cinnamon - 1 inch
- Cloves - 3
- Chilli powder - 1.5 tsp
- Corriander powder - 3 tsp
- Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
- Curry leaves - a few.
Procedure:
- Cut the chicken thigh pieces into medium sizes, wash thoroughly and place them in a pressure cooker.
- Add half of ginger/garlic paste, chilli powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well with 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. The chicken should be 3/4th cooked.
- Transfer the contents into a pan, boil the chicken for some more time without closing the lid until the water reduces to half-size and the chicken is fully cooked. This will require at least 10 mins. Save the chicken stock and remove the chicken pieces.
- Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Shred the chicken well.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a separate pan. Season with Cinnamon, cloves and fennel seeds.
- Once they pop, add onions and curry leaves. Fry well.
- Add tomatoes and fry for a few mins.
- Now add the shredded chicken and cook for a few mins.
- Finally add the saved chicken stock, black pepper powder and cook well until the mixture thickens to a semi-gravy consistency. It should neither be a thin gravy nor too dry.
Delicious Kothu chicken is ready! Enjoy with Chapathis or any kind of rice dish.
