Erivum Puliyum: Chicken Peralan | Chicken Perattu

It's raining cats and dogs, and I feel to do nothing right now. I feel calm and composed when the nature becomes gloomy and cold. Do you also feel the same in this climate? I feel to watch TV lying on the sofa, wrapped myself with a cozy blanket. Weather really changes moods too, I feel so. Depending on the seasonal changes, our energy levels keep shifting. Isn't it ??

Today's recipe is a chicken recipe, close to the Kerala style chicken roast, which has lots of onions and tomatoes. This is like a close cousin of the same roast but has quite a few differences too. Read more on this recipe below, or watch the recipe on YouTube to learn more. The word 'peralan' or 'perattu' refers to the masala nicely coated or wrapped on the chicken. This is best tasted when it's slow cooked and made on a chullah or adupu / earthen stove. But if you don't have access to an earthen stove or clay stove, then cook on a gas stove but on low flame. Though, you can make this chicken peralan with both boneless and with bones. But I personally feel chicken with bones tastes better for this recipe. There is no need to add any water in the recipe and must be slow cooked so that the water from the chicken is good enough to cook the masala. The onion tomato masala gets nicely cooked and blended to the chicken pieces. The last few minutes of cooking on high flame is to alleviate the flavours to the next level. Chicken Peralan can be served with chapathis, steamed rice, pathiris or even appams. Try and enjoy !!

Watch on YouTube -

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Cooking time ~ 30-45 minutes

Serves ~ 6-7

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

chicken (with bones)1 kg

onion 1 large sliced

shallots 1.5 cups sliced

green chillies 3 vertical slit

tomato 2 medium-sized chopped

coconut sliced (thenga kothu) 2tbsp

ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp

kashmiri chilli powder 3 tbsp

hot chilli powder, 1 tsp

coriander powder 2 tbsp

garam masala 1 tsp

fennel powder/ perinjeerakam podi 1/2 tsp

peppercorns 1 tbsp crushed

salt to taste

oil 3 tbsp

curry leaves 2 sprigs

Method

Wash and clean the chicken pieces under running water. Drain water and keep aside.
Keep all the listed spices ready. Cut all the vegetables and keep aside.
In a kadai or wok or an anodized pan, add oil (3 tbsp). To this, add the coconut slices and fry till lightly browned
Then add ginger-garlic paste and fry till raw smell disappears. Toss in the sliced onions and sauté with a little salt. When the onions are lightly wilted and cooked halfway through, add the sliced shallots. Cook till the onions are lightly browned.
Add turmeric powder and mix. Then add in all the spice powders EXCEPT crushed peppercorns one by one and mix. Sauté on low flame and add chopped tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup water to prevent the spices from burning.
Add the chicken pieces and give a quick mix to coat the spices well. Adjust salt. Cover and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes. Don't add any water, as chicken gets cooked from the water from the chicken.This is a very slow-cooked process and that brings out the real authentic flavours, don't rush.
After the initial 10 minutes, check salt and add more if needed.Then, cook covered again. The chicken gets cooked in the water given out from the chicken. Check in between for water content and avoid burning. It took almost 15-18 minutes, till the moisture had completely evaporated and chicken was cooked nice and tender.
Then, add coconut oil (2 tbsp) and crushed peppercorns. Add more curry leaves. Give a quick mix. Put the flame on high and fry the chicken masala by stirring continuously to get the charred look. (Adding more oil and sautéing on high is an optional-added step to get more taste, takes about 3-4 minutes). But if you prefer a low oil version, omit adding the last coconut oil, continue with the rest of the steps and finish off. Oil starts oozing from the sides of the pan at this stage. Switch off flame at this point.
Serve warm with pathiris, idiyappam, chapathis or even steamed rice. Tastes yumm !!

NOTES

*Though, you can make this chicken recipe with both boneless and with bones. But I personally feel chicken with bones tastes better for this recipe.

* If you don't have shallots, then go ahead and add onions sliced (1 big one) for the same quantity of shallots. Also, add a pinch of sugar too as shallots have a natural sweetness so to balance that.

* Adding coconut slices is truly optional, but we like that extra crunch in between.

* Use a kadai or wok or an anodized pan. Don't use a non-stick pan, as the last browning stages can't be achieved in a non-stick pan as non-stick pans are not intended for high heat purposes.