Flavours of India Part 1: Chettinad Chicken Curry and the Fiery Cuisine of Tamil Nadu's Chettiars

Welcome to Flavours of India, our series exploring the regional cuisines of India, one state and one signature dish at a time.

Few Indian cuisines are as bold as Chettinad. Born in the dry Chettinad region around Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga district, it is the home cooking of the Nattukottai Chettiars, a community of wealthy traders and bankers. Their grand mansions, with Burma teak pillars and Athangudi tiles, are as famous as their food.

What makes Chettinad food special

Because the Chettiars traded across Burma, Ceylon and Southeast Asia, their kitchens had access to spices from across the region. Chettinad cooking is defined by:

• Freshly roasted and ground masalas rather than ready-made powders.
• Black pepper and dried red chillies for layered heat.
• Kalpasi (stone flower), a dried lichen with a smoky, earthy aroma, and marathi mokku (dried kapok buds), two spices rarely used elsewhere.
• Fennel, star anise and curry leaves for fragrance.
• Gingelly (sesame) oil as the cooking fat.

Beyond meat curries, the cuisine includes vegetarian classics like kavuni arisi (black rice sweet), kuzhi paniyaram and the soft white vellai paniyaram, served with spicy chutneys.

Chettinad chicken curry recipe

Serves: 4 · Prep: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinating · Cook: 40 minutes

For the chicken marinade

• 750 g chicken, curry cut
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp salt

For the Chettinad masala

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 6-8 dried red chillies (adjust to taste)
• 1 inch cinnamon, 4 cloves, 3 green cardamom
• 1 star anise
• 1 small piece kalpasi (stone flower)
• 1 marathi mokku (optional)
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional, for richness)
• 4 tbsp freshly grated coconut

For the curry

• 3 tbsp gingelly (sesame) oil
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 medium onions (or 15 shallots), finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (for colour)
• Salt to taste and fresh coriander to garnish

Method

1. Marinate: mix the chicken with turmeric, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
2. Roast the masala: in a dry pan on low heat, roast coriander, pepper, fennel, cumin, red chillies, whole spices, kalpasi and marathi mokku until aromatic, about 3-4 minutes. Add poppy seeds and coconut and roast until the coconut turns light golden.
3. Grind: cool, then grind to a smooth paste with a little water.
4. Build the base: heat gingelly oil in a heavy pan. Add fennel seeds and curry leaves, then the onions. Fry until deep golden, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes. Add tomatoes, turmeric and chilli powder, and cook until soft and the oil separates.
6. Add the masala: stir in the ground paste and cook on medium-low for 5 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and releases oil.
7. Cook the chicken: add the chicken and toss to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, then add 1 cup water and salt. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy thickens.
8. Adjust salt, add a pinch of freshly crushed pepper and garnish with coriander and curry leaves.

Tips for the best flavour

• Roast spices on low heat; burnt spices make the curry bitter.
• For a drier Chettinad chicken varuval, cook without water until the masala coats the chicken.
• Kalpasi and marathi mokku are available in South Indian grocery stores and online; the curry still tastes great without them.
• Like most curries, it tastes even better a few hours later.

How to serve

Serve hot with steamed rice, idiyappam, dosa or flaky parotta. A simple onion raita balances the heat.

Other Chettinad dishes to try

• Chettinad mutton kuzhambu: a tangy, pepper-heavy mutton curry.
• Kuzhi paniyaram: crisp dumplings made from dosa batter in a special pan.
• Kavuni arisi: a sweet made from black rice, coconut and sugar.
• Chettinad pepper fish fry: fish coated in a spicy pepper masala.

Next in Flavours of India: the coconut-rich cuisine of Kerala.