Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare the vegetables

   Slice 4 onions, chop 4 tomatoes, and slit 8 green chilies. Set them aside for later use.

2. 2.Heat oil and add whole spices

   Light the fire and place a wok on it. Add a sufficient amount of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, and 1 small piece of star anise. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.

3. 3.Sauté aromatics

   Add the sliced onions, a few sprigs of curry leaves, and the slit green chilies to the hot oil. Fry, stirring continuously, until the onions turn golden brown, which takes approximately 10-15 minutes.

4. 4.Add ginger-garlic paste and turmeric

   Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the sautéed mixture. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the ginger-garlic paste disappears.

5. 5.Add chicken

   Add 1 kg of cleaned chicken pieces to the wok. Mix thoroughly with the sautéed ingredients, ensuring all chicken pieces are coated with the spice mixture.

6. 6.Cook chicken with spices

   Cover the wok with a lid and let the chicken cook on a low flame for approximately 10 minutes. This allows the chicken to release its juices and absorb the flavors from the spices.

7. 7.Add tomatoes

   After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add the chopped tomatoes to the wok. Mix them well with the chicken and continue cooking until the tomatoes soften.

8. 8.Add ground spices

   Add 1 teaspoon of garam masala, 1.5 teaspoons of red chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of coriander powder to the chicken. Mix all the ground spices thoroughly with the chicken and tomatoes.

9. 9.Simmer and thicken gravy

   Taste the chicken for salt and add a pinch more if necessary. Cover the wok again and let it simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes until the gravy thickens and the oil starts to separate from the mixture.

10. 10.Garnish and finish

    Remove the lid. Add chopped coriander leaves and squeeze the juice from half a lemon over the chicken fry. Mix well to combine.

11. 11.Final garnish

    Add a few more curry leaves for extra aroma and mix one last time. The spicy chicken fry is now ready to be served.

12. 12.Serve

    Serve the hot chicken fry on a banana leaf with freshly made chapatis. Enjoy!