This recipe was introduced to my mother from loku amma. It was introduced to her from an Indian lady who rented her apartment. That was in the early 80s. I don’t have the exact original recipe but when I got married I used to make this my own way inspired by my childhood memories. This is a favourite dish at my home. Mostly we eat this with Pol Sambol ( Coconut Sambol ) for dinner. I like to share this recipe with you all.

Chicken Tempered with Onions and roasted Cumin 

Ingredients Part 01

Half of a chicken cut into small pieces with bones
1/2 Teaspoon of pepper powder
¼ Teaspoon of turmeric powder
Dash of vinegar
1 Teaspoon of salt
¼ Cup of water

Put all the ingredients in to the pan and boil until the stock is reduced and absorbed to the chicken but keep 1-2 table spoons of stock to use at the end.

Ingredients Part 02

2 Tablespoon of oil
4 Onions sliced (large)
2 Green chilies sliced
2 Garlic cloves crushed
1 Sprig of curry leaves
A piece of rampe (pandan leaves)
1 Teaspoon of cumin
2 of each cardamom and cloves
1 Teaspoon of chili flakes or as you prefer
1/2 Teaspoon of pepper
1 Teaspoon of vinegar or to taste
Salt to taste

First in a low flame roast cumin, cloves and cardamoms, then grind it to a powder. Keep that a side.

Heat oil in a pan, add crushed garlic and sauté. Then add curry leaves and rampe (pandan leaves) and stir till aroma comes. Then add onions, green chilies, chilli flakes, turmeric, pepper and roasted ground cumin.

Stir for seconds, and then add the boiled chicken to this mixture.

After adding all these stir for further few seconds and do not let the onions overcook. Then add the the vinegar. Finally add the remaining chicken stock and stir till stock is reduced completely. Before removing from heat, taste and see whether you need more vinegar or salt to your taste.

This is little spicy but tasty with the flavour of roasted cumin. If you are not comfortable with the spiciness you can reduce the quantity of chilli and the pepper. At my home we mostly have this dish with pol sambol and hot rice. My children love to add a little mango chutney also to the menu.

Hope you love this.

Enjoy..!

Serving suggestion  01  – Rice, Pol sambol and mango chutney

Serving Sugession 02 –  Rice, pol sambol ,and Dhal curry