Curry Leaf Chilli Chicken

It was a refreshing holiday this time. A holiday reserved for cooking, travelling and resting. A holiday to admire Mother nature and for family reunions. A holiday that slowed down the normal frenzy of activities. All 4 days went by like a whirlwind. From short picnics to park walks and enjoying the beauty of the nature's simple pleasures, sitting by the passing springs, chatting with friends, barbeque time near the beachside, and yeah, lots of sleep.

The holiday hangover seems heavy now. Today, I am sitting at my desk keen to catch up on the piles of messages that were left behind. I have a few pictures from one of the picnics that we had. We visited the largest dam in Oman called the Wadi Dayqah dam which is a favorite picnic spot for most tourists. It is a one-hour drive from Muscat and is located in a place called Quriyat.  With sprawling lawns and breadth-taking views, it is a pleasure to travel to this land locked with mountain ranges all around. This dam serves as a major source for drinking water to most regions of Oman. It was opened in 2012. Have a look at some of the pictures below.

Holidays also means cooking. We were out most days, but the cooking never stopped. I got a chance to make simple picnic lunches ranging from appetizers to finger foods and one pot meals. Today's recipe was also one of the new appetizers that I tried out for the picnics. We call it curry leaf chilli chicken. The dish is a spicy treat donned with a marinade dominated with curry leaf flavors and then baked to perfection. A new flavor to be marked and it is sure to win hearts with its appetizing looks.

Have a look at the recipe below:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Kg boneless chicken cubes

1 mediun sized cinnamon stick

1 tsp green cardamom pods

1 tsp whole cloves

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

18 fresh curry leaves

1 lemon juice2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
2 tsp garlic, crushed

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp Oil

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Grind the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns to a powder.

 

2)  Add the coriander leaves, curry leaves, lemon juice, chilli peppers, ginger, garlic, tamarind, turmeric and salt. Process to a paste.

 

3) Marinate the chicken pieces with this spice paste for at least 30 minutes, sprinkle oil on top and bake in  a pre-heated electric oven at 240 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or till done.

 

4) I also deep fried a handful of curry leaves until crisp and sprinkled on the chicken after baking. Serve hot.