Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Marinate the Chicken

   Take 1kg of washed chicken (with bone) in a bowl. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, and 0.5 tsp red chili powder. Mix well by hand, ensuring all chicken pieces are coated. Set aside to marinate.

2. 2.Prepare Dry Masala

   In a pan, add 4 cardamoms, 2 inches of cinnamon, 8 cloves, 1 small mace flower, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2 Tbsp coriander seeds, and 8-10 dry red chilies. Sauté these dry spices on medium heat until they slightly change color and become fragrant. Remove from heat and let them cool down completely.

3. 3.Prepare Ginger Garlic Paste

   In a mortar and pestle, crush 10 garlic pods until coarsely crushed. Then add 1 Tbsp ginger & garlic paste and continue crushing until you achieve a coarse, textured paste. Set aside.

4. 4.Fry Onions and Ginger Garlic Paste

   Heat 4 Tbsp of oil in a large pan or wok. Add 200g of finely sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown. Once golden brown, add the coarsely crushed ginger-garlic paste and fry on high flame for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.

5. 5.Cook the Chicken

   Add the marinated chicken to the pan. Mix well with the onions and ginger-garlic paste. Cover the pan and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the chicken will release water. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has mostly evaporated.

6. 6.Add Green Chillies and Curry Leaves

   Add 5-6 green chilies (slit in half) and 1 cup of curry leaves to the chicken. Mix everything thoroughly. Continue frying the chicken on a medium-low flame, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to brown and the water completely dries up. This process should take about 10-15 minutes.

7. 7.Add Blended Masala

   Once the chicken is nicely browned and the pan is relatively dry, add about 40% of the blended dry masala (prepared in Step 2). Mix well, ensuring the masala coats all the chicken pieces. Continue frying for a few minutes until the chicken turns a darker, rich brown color.

8. 8.Finish with Remaining Masala and Pepper

   Add the remaining blended dry masala to the chicken and mix well. Continue frying on medium-low heat until the chicken reaches a crispy, dark brown texture. Just before turning off the heat, sprinkle 1 tsp of black pepper powder and mix it in. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

9. 9.Serve

   Serve the spicy chicken fry hot with white rice, roti, or as a delicious appetizer.