Chicken Xacuti

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg

For marination:

1. Coriander leaves - 1 cup/1 small bunch + some for garnish
2. Green chillies - 2-3
3. Garlic - 8-10 cloves
4. Ginger - 1 inch
5. Lime - juice of 1 lime
6. Haldi powder - 1 tsp
7. Red chilli pd - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt - as per taste

For the Masala:

1. Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
2. Red chillies - 5-6
3. Peppercorns - 7-8
4. Cloves - 7-8
5. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
6. Black cardamon - 1
7. Star annise petals - 1
8. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. Poppy seeds (khaskhas) - 1/2 tsp
10. Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp
11. Scrapped coconut - 1 cups(1 medium size coconut)
12. Onion - 1 large sliced and 2 medium sized onions finely chopped
13. Tomatoes - 2 medium chopped
14. Garlic - 6-7 cloves
15. Tamarind pulp  - 1 tbsp
16. Haldi pd - 1 tsp
17. Oil - 4-5 tbsp
18. Thick coconut milk - 1 cup(optional)
19. Water - as required

Method:

1. Grind all the ingredients mentioned under marination and apply it to the chicken and keep aside for 1-2 hrs.
2. In a pan dry roast fennel seeds, poppy seeds, shahjeera and keep aside.
3. In the same pan, take 1 tsp oil and roast all remaining spices- coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, star annise, red chillies till u get nice aroma and change in colour and keep aside.
4. Take 1 tsp oil and fry 1 sliced onion, garlic and coconut till brown in colour.
5. Grind all Step 2,3,4 along with tamarind pulp and haldi powder by adding little water to a fine thick paste.
6. In a kadai take remaining oil, add 2 medium sized onions finely chopped, fry for 2 mins add tomatoes fry for 2-3 mins.Then add marinated chicken, mix nicely and allow it to cook until 3/4 done. If required add little water.
7. Once the chicken is cooked add the ground masala, and salt as per taste.( chicken marination contains salt) and allow it to cook for 10-12 mins until chicken is completely cooked.
8. Add water if required as per the consistency of gravy required.
9. You can also add 1 small cup thick coconut milk if desired(optional) at last and boil for few seconds.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

**Increase/ decrease the quantity of spices as required.