CHETTINADU KOZHI SAMBAR

Spicy, mouth watering chicken preparation with arhar/ toor dal Preparation Time : 3 hours Cooking Time : 12 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken 800 grams Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon Salt to taste Split pigeon pea (toor dal/arhar dal) 1/4 cup Tamarind a lemon sized ball Sesame oil (til oil) 6 tablespoons Star anise 2 Cloves 4 Cinnamon 2 inch stick Whole dry red chillies 2 Curry leaves 10-12 leaves Onions, chopped 2 medium Fresh coriander leaves, chopped bunch 1/4 medium Ginger 1 inch piece Garlic 8 cloves Whole dry red chillies 6 Coriander seeds 1 tablespoon Black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon Split Bengal gram (chana dal) 1 tablespoon Green chilli 4

Method

Cut the chicken into medium size pieces (approximately sixteen to eighteen pieces). Marinate in turmeric powder and salt for three hours preferably in the refrigerator. Boil toor dal in two cups of water till soft and fully cooked. Soak tamarind in one-cup of warm water. Remove the pulp, strain and keep aside. Heat two tablespoons of oil and fry the masala ingredients till light brown. Cool and grind to a paste. Heat the remaining oil in a thick vessel and temper with star anise, cloves, cinnamon, red chillies and curry leaves. Add onions and fry till light brown. Put in chicken, masala paste and sauté for two minutes. Add tamarind pulp, stir and simmer till the chicken is almost done. Add the cooked dal along with the water and cook till it combines and thickens to a curry consistency. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.