INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4 people)

1. Chicken - 500 grams (chopped into big cubes)
2. Shallots / Pearl onions - 75 grams (5 onions)
3. Ginger - 1 inch long piece 
4. Garlic pods - 1 
5. Dry red chillies - 6 to 8 
6. Cumin seeds - 3/4 spoon 
7. Coriander seeds - 1 spoon 
8. Fennel seeds - 1 spoon 
9. Peppercorns - 1/4 spoon 
10. Salt - As per taste
11. Oil - 5 spoon (Gingelly oil preferred)
12. Coriander leaves & Curry leaves - Few for garnishing (Optional)

PREPARATION METHOD
• Wash chicken pieces well in water and keep them aside.
• Heat a pan or wok and dry roast the following ingredients very slightly until you get a pleasant aroma. Take care not to over roast them or burn them. 
(For Masala Powder)
1. Dry red chillies - 6 to 8
2. Cumin seeds - 3/4 spoon
3. Coriander seeds - 1 spoon 
4. Fennel seeds - 1 spoon
5. Peppercorns - 1/4 spoon 
• After the dry roasted ingredients cools down and reaches room temperature, add them to a blender make a fine masala powder out of them and set aside. This is the authentic Chettinad chicken masala powder. You will get nearly 2.5 spoons of this masala powder.
• Peel onions put them in a blender and make a coarse paste out of it and set aside. 
• Also make ginger-garlic paste and set aside.
• Now heat a pan, add oil and after it heats up add the coarsely ground onions and saute until the raw smell goes. 
• Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a few minutes. 
• Now add the chicken pieces and saute well for 5 minutes. 
• Now add the prepared masala powder and stir well.
• After 2 minutes pour 1 cup of water, required salt and stir well. Cook on low flame.
• Close the pan with a lid and cook until the chicken gets cooked well. Sprinkle water if necessary and stir occasionally so that the chicken does not get burnt. Please cook on low flame. 
• When water evaporates and chicken seems well cooked remove from flame and serve. 
• Garnish with coriander and curry leaves if you wish.