South Indian Chicken Pickle Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken with bones, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
• 1 1/2 tbsps red chilli pwd
• 1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
• juice of 3 lemons, heat for 3 mt and cool
• 1 1/2 – 2 tbsps salt (adjust)
• 4 tbsps oil

Dry roast and make a powder:

• 3 tbsps coriander seeds/dhaniyalu
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds/khus-khus/ghasagasalu
• 1 1/2 tsps methi seeds/methulu/fenugreek seeds
• 6 cloves
• 2″ cinnamon stick
• 1 elaichi/cardamom
• 1 star anise

For tempering/poppu/tadka:

• Pinch of methi seeds
• 30 fresh curry leaves
• 3-4 dry red chillis
• 15 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 Dry roast all the spices individually over low heat and cool. Once cool, combine all the dry roasted ingredients and grind to a fine powder.
•  Heat 4 tbsps oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add chicken, ginger garlic paste, red chilli pwd and salt and cook on high heat for 5 mts. 
• Reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook till the oil separates and there is hardly any water content. This frying will take about 25 mts.
• This step is crucial to chicken pickle making. Keep stirring in between.
• Heat 3/4 cup oil in another heavy bottomed vessel, add methi seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillis, crushed garlic and saute for a minute.
• Add the cooked chicken pieces along with any left over gravy and oil. Combine well. 
• Add the ground spice powder and combine well and cook on medium to high for 15-18 mts, stirring in between. 
• Add the cooled lemon juice and combine well and turn off heat. Cool and store in an airtight bottle and refrigerate.