Chettinad Chicken Curry - A chit chat with Nalini Suresh

After a brief hibernation, I am back with great post for today. And this post is a double candy, one recipe and a friend to chat with. Yes today I am restarting my chit chat segment with a friend which I had missed for the past few months. Today we have a lovely food blogger and a great friend +nalini suresh from Nalini's Kitchen. I met her online around 9 months back and ever since we have kept in touch. She is a mum of 2 lovely kids and in her spare time she also feeds her third kid her blog. I must say that Nalini is not just an amazing cook but also a well seasoned chef who explores various cuisines. One another thing about Nalini is her down to earth and helpful nature and almost instantly I felt an instant connect with her. Nalini also is one amazing photographer and often she keeps feeding my eyes with her eye candy shots ;-). Thanks Nalini for taking time off and doing this lovely chit chat with an awesome recipe. I sure drool over this recipe every time I see the clicks :P will give it a try sometime soon.
Over to Nalini.....

I am so much thrilled and excited to share a guest post for my friend Priya Ranjit of Cook like Priya. Priya is one such caring and loving person I came to know in March through Facebook,after that we chat almost everyday and talked couple of times over the phone.

When she requested me to do a guest post 3-4 months back I said yes.But it took such a long time as I was busy with y India trip and other personal things.

I was in a dilemma about the recipe and finally ended up with the authentic chicken curry as Priya likes a chicken lot.

Priya hope you like my post...

CHIT CHAT WITH NALINI SURESH

1. Please introduce yourself to our readers

I am Nalini Suresh,homemaker and mom of 2 kids living in U.S with my husband.I blog under NalinisKitchen and my blog is two years old.

2. You have a lovely blog and a talented photographer, please share with us what was your most challenging issues you have faced in your initial days of blogging and how you overcame them?

When started the blog I had faced so many technical issues which I couldn't resolve it,my hubby dear hepled me a lot to overcome from those issues.

Second thing was my camera,after getting my DSLR I was struggling to take pictures in Manual mode,then I read so many articles and disscused with some of my friends to take some decent looking picture.Still I am in the learning process only..

Next thing is I was not aware of the social networks,some of my blogger friends Sangeetha,Priya Ranjith,Priya Suresh helped me.

3. If you had to choose between traditional food and international bakes what would be your preferred choice and why?

I choose both,because both myself and my hubby likes to have traditional food,but international bakes are something which I want to know and experiment.So my choice would be for both.

4. Being a mom has your cooking changed in any aspect?

Yes,in so many aspects my cooking style has changed.Initially we used to eat lot of spicy foods now the spice level has reduced to medium.As my son likes home made cookies a lot,started baking at home a lot now.As he likes chicken a lot,non-veg recipes appear in my kitchen a lot and these days I started cooking as per my son's wish and taste.

5. If there was one dish that you cannot live without what would it be?

Being a South Indian,obviously its rice.I am a rice eater and I need atleast a spoon of cooked rice for a day.

6. Say there is someone who is reading this chit chat and is in a dilemma weather to start a food blog or not, what advice would you give them

Yes,of course.Being a blogger I try lot of food which are not known to me and came to know lot of other cuisine dishes also.

Due to blogging I gained lot of good friends and family like Priya Ranjith.

7. How can this blog changed your life? share with us some real life incident

Initially,I don't measure the ingredients but these days I am so much keen about the measurement exactly to share in the blog.

8. If you have to plan a party just for kids what will be your menu idea.

As kids like to have finger foods and pizza my go would be French fries,Cheese pizza and some homemade juice.

If I have to make Indian recipes then my choice would be macroni cutlet,Naan,paneer butter masala,veg pulao and chips.

9. Give us some tips and tricks to take great photographs

I am not an expert in taking pictures,but try to take some good pictures.

I take pictures in natural light with neat presentation.Never ever used the flash to take food pictures.

Try to take different angles.

10. If there is one tip you want to give me about my blog do share it here

Your blog look is very nice and neat.

CHETTINAD CHICKEN CURRY | CHETTINAD CHICKEN MASALA

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Chicken(with bones)	2 lbs(bite size pieces)
Onion(finely chopped)	2(medium size)
Tomato(finely chopped)	2(medium size)
Ginger &Garlic paste	1tbs
Green chilly/pachamilgai	3(slit lengthwise)
Turmeric powder	1/4tsp
Fennel seeds/sombhu	1/2tsp
Curry leaves/karivepillai	2 sprig
Coriander leaves/kothamalli	1tbs(chopped)
Lemon juice(optional)	1-2tsp
Salt	11/2-2tsp
Oil	3tbs

To Roast & Grind:

Ingredient	Quantity
Cloves/lavangam	5-6
Cinnamon/pattai	1'piece
Red chilly/varamilagai	4-5
Coriander seeds/dhaniya	1tbs
Black pepper/milagu	11/2tsp
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1/2tsp
Fennel seeds/sombhu	1tsp
Poppy seeds/kasakasa	1tsp
Coconut(grated)	3tbs

Method

1.Heat pan dry roast cloves,cinnamon,red chilly,coriander seeds,cumin and fennel seeds till the aroma comes out.Now add the poppy seeds and fry it for a minute.Finally add the coconut and give it a mix,put off the flame.

2.After cooling grind it to fine paste and set it aside.Heat a pan with oil and crackle the fennel seeds,add the curry leaves and green chilly along with onion.Saute it till transparent with a pinch of salt.Add in the  ginger and garlic paste,fry it till the raw smell goes off.

3.Once the ginger&garlic paste is cooked add in the chopped tomato,cook for 2-3 minutes.Now add the chicken pieces and saute it well till it changes the color.Add in the ground paste,turmeric powder and cook it for couple of minutes.

4.Add in salt and 2 cups of water.Let it boil,now cook it covered in a medium flame till the chicken becomes tender and cooked well.In between stir it for couple of times to avoid burning.

5.Finally sprinkle the coriander leaves and add the lemon juice if needed.

6.Serve it with rice or roti.