Ingredients:

1/2 kg chicken pieces

1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp + 1 tsp crushed pepper

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp ginger, thinly sliced

3-4 garlic cloves, sliced

4-6 green chillies, slit

2 sprig curry leaves

1 big onion, sliced

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp fennel powder

2 cups thin coconut milk (second extract)

1 tomato, sliced into round pieces

1 cup thick coconut milk (first extract)

salt to taste

1 1/2 tsp cornflour mixed with little hot water

1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

3 cardamoms

4 cloves

1 piece cinnamon

1 star anise

coconut oil, as required

Preparation:

1. Clean the chicken pieces and marinate it with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp crushed pepper, lemon juice and salt. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken pieces till light brown on both sides and keep it aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a pan and add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and star anise and saute.
4. Add sliced ginger, garlic, slit green chillies and curry leaves and saute well till raw smell goes.
5. Add sliced onion and saute well adding little salt till soft at medium flame.
6. Reduce the flame to low and add coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and fennel powder and mix well till raw smell goes.
7. Then add thin coconut milk and 1 tsp crushed pepper and boil at medium flame.
8. Now add fried chicken pieces into this and mix well. Add sliced tomato and few curry leaves and cook covered at medium flame for 10 minutes.
9. When it thickens, reduce the flame to low and add thick coconut milk, chopped coriander leaves and cornflour mixed with little hot water and mix well.
10. Switch off the flame and serve with appam, dosa, rice etc...