malayalam
Whenever I hear a recipe is quick and easy ,I’m quite overwhelmed 😛 because that calls for less time in kitchen 😀 But it’s also realization that the most difficult part is to pull out taste in an easy recipe ! Yes, because quick and easy calls for less ingredients which definitely is a challenge.
This ularthu is definitely one of those easy roast recipe , especially when you have less time to cook. And very less ingredients. 😀 Also, You can use boneless chicken or bone-in small pieces for this recipe.
So let’s see how I made this easy and tasty ularthu 😀
Don’t forget to check the notes section down to know alternatives and tips
Chicken Ularthu: Serves 3-4
- Chicken ,boneless/bone-in small pieces – 500 gm
- lemon juice -1-2 tsp
- turemric powder – 1/4 tsp
- red chilli powder -1/2 tsp
- salt – 1/4 tsp
To crush together:
- Ginger – 1/2 ” piece
- Garlic – 12 cloves
- Cinnamon stick – 1/4″ piece
- fennel seeds – 1 – 2 tsp
To roast :
- Onion – 1 big, finely chopped
- Tomato – 1 small 1/2 of a big, finely chopped
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
- Red chilli powder – 2-3 tsp (kashmiri)
- Coriander powder -1 tsp
- Pepper powder – 1/4 -1 tsp
- Fennel powder – 1/2 tsp
- Garam Masala (optional) – 1/4 tsp
- hot water – 1 cup
- Curry leaves – handful
- Coconut oil – 3-4 tbsp
- salt – as required
Method:
- Marinate the washed and drained chicken pieces with items mentioned under marinade and set aside for 10 minutes to 1/2 an hour.
- Meanwhile , crush together ginger, garlic, fennel seeds, cinnamon in a motor and pestle or mixer.
- Heat a pan, add 1-2 tbsp oil once the pan is hot, let the oil also heat up, add the crushed items with curry leaves and saute until browned and crisp and no longer raw.
- Add the onion and saute that too, wait to brown the onion. Bring down the flame to low and add the spice powders in the following order giving few seconds to fry them.
- Turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, fennel see powder mix everything well.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces and combine everything, add 1 cup of hot water, salt as needed and cover and cook until done.( Let it boil in high flame after which reduce to medium-low and cover cook for 25-30 minutes or until done).
- Once the water is all evaporated and chicken is cooked(if you feel the chicken isnt cooked well, do add 1/2 cup of hot water and cook in medium flame), add the chopped tomatoes and mix everything well.
- Now let this roast in low -medium flame until roasted well.Keep checking and sauteing in between to avoid sticking to the pan.( add more oil if required)
- Add pepper powder and a pinch garam masala(if using ) towards the end.
- Serve hot with rice and other side dishes.
Notes:
- Remember to use small bone-in pieces if using that.
- Use only 1 tsp of red chilli powder if its not less spice one.
- Do not add more than mentioned cinnamon stick.
- If you don’t have fennel powder/perumjeerakam podi crush 1 tsp fennel seed and add it to the roast.
- Add the tomatoes only after the chicken is cooked and there is no water left, that gives a different taste.
- If the chicken that you use oozes too much water, reduce to 3/4 cup of hot water.
- Always add hot water to cook, otherwise it will turn rubbery.
- Garam masala is purely optional, this has flavor without adding that.(I did not add )
- If you like the peppery taste, you could add 1 tsp and reduce red chilli powder to 1 tsp.
- To make it even more easier, pressure cook the chicken pieces for 1 whistle and add it to the sauteed onion garlic ginger mix and saute to combine and remaining steps being the same.
- Do not add the whole of mentioned oil in the beginning itself, add as needed to roast it.(if using non stick, you will not need this much maybe 2 tbsp would do, I use cast iron skillet 🙂 )
- 500 gm of chicken easily serves 3-4 people. reduce to 250gm chicken along with reducing all the other ingredients to half ,if its for 2 people .
