Kadai Chicken
1 kg Chicken, cut into pieces
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Chili Powder (adjust to your spice preference)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Vinegar
1.5 tbsp Coriander Seeds
4 Dried Red Chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
½ tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Black Peppercorns
1 cup Capsicum (Bell Pepper), cut into cubes
1 medium-sized Onion, roughly chopped
2 medium-sized Onions, finely chopped
1.5 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tbsp Chili Powder (adjust to your spice preference)
1 tsp Garam Masala
3 medium-sized Tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Water
Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped (for garnish)
2 tbsp Kadai Masala (store-bought or homemade – recipe below if you want to make your own)
Oil, for frying and cooking
Preparation:
1. Marinating the Chicken:
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp chili powder, and salt.Add 1 tbsp of vinegar.Mix everything well, ensuring the chicken pieces are evenly coated with the marinade.Set aside for at least 15-20 minutes, or up to 30 minutes for better flavor absorption.
2. Roasting and Crushing the Spices (for the freshly ground masala):
Heat a dry pan (skillet) over medium-low heat.Add the coriander seeds, dried red chilies, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and black peppercorns to the pan.Dry roast these spices for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color. Be careful not to burn them.Remove the roasted spices from the pan and let them cool completely.Once cooled, grind the roasted spices to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Set this aside – this is your freshly ground kadai masala.
3. Frying the Chicken:
Heat oil in a pan or kadai (wok) over medium-high heat. The oil should be enough to shallow-fry the chicken.Carefully place the marinated chicken pieces in the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. You might need to fry the chicken in batches.Fry the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, until it is lightly golden brown. The chicken doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage.Remove the fried chicken from the pan and set it aside.
4. Sautéing Capsicum and Onion:
In the same pan (or a clean pan), add a little more oil if needed.Add the cubed capsicum and roughly chopped onion.Sauté them for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat until they are slightly softened but still have a bit of a crunch.Remove the sautéed capsicum and onion from the pan and set them aside.
5. Making the Onion-Ginger-Garlic Base:
In the same pan, add more oil if needed.Add the finely chopped onions and sauté them over medium heat until they turn a light golden brown color. This will take about 5-7 minutes.Add the ginger-garlic paste to the pan and sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears.
6. Adding Dry Spices and Tomatoes:
Lower the heat and add the ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, and 1 tbsp chili powder to the pan. Sauté for a few seconds, stirring continuously, to avoid burning the spices.Add the chopped tomatoes and salt to taste.Cook the tomatoes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften and the oil starts to separate from the mixture. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
7. Adding the Fried Chicken and Water:
Add the fried chicken pieces to the tomato-onion masala.Mix well to ensure the chicken is coated with the masala.Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes on low heat to allow the flavors to meld.Add 1 cup of water to the pan.Stir well, bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pan again.Cook on low to medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. This will take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
8. Adding Sautéed Vegetables and Kadai Masala:
Add the sautéed capsicum and onion to the pan with the chicken.Sprinkle 2 tbsp of kadai masala (the freshly ground one you made or store-bought) over the chicken and vegetables.Add some chopped fresh coriander leaves.Mix everything gently but thoroughly, ensuring the vegetables and chicken are well coated with the masala.
9. Final Touches:
Cover the pan and switch off the flame. Let the dish rest for a couple of minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.Garnish with more fresh coriander leaves before serving.
For details watch video
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