Barbecued chicken is practically unavoidable on summer weekends. In India, tandoori chicken is the natural substitute. But in the southern region of the country, the focus is on fresh curry leaves and mustard seeds for flavoring. Curry leaves are one of the two fresh herbs commonly used in the country (the other is cilantro), and they have nothing to do with the curry powder most people in America are familiar with. In fact, curry powder is not even an Indian invention but was created and popularized by the British as a single spice mix to do away with the numerous spices that are a requisite in Indian food. Fresh curry leaves have a fabulous aroma. This recipe gets all its flavor from the leaves, so don't be afraid to use plenty of them — they're much milder than you would think.
Like most Indians, I use skinless chicken pieces because we are generally squeamish about the texture of chicken skin. This quick and easy dish is finger-lickin' delicious, and you don't even need the grill! Serving: 4
8 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons red chili powder
3 to 4 cups fresh curry leaves
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon vinegar or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
2 pounds skinless chicken (medium-size pieces on the bone)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sliced onions and flatbreads, for serving
Crush the garlic. Mix it with the chili powder, curry leaves, salt and vinegar or tamarind water. This is your marinade. Add the chicken pieces and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat until smoking. Add the chicken, cooking on all sides until it gets brown and crispy. Reduce the flame and add the marinade. Cook on a low flame until the chicken is fully cooked and moist and all the liquid has dried up. Serve with sliced onions and flatbreads.