Chicken Peralan
Chicken Peralan
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marination
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 1/4 cup garlic, grated or minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red chili powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 cup shallots, peeled and halved or quartered
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup water
For the Gravy Base
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil, for deep frying, plus 2 tablespoons for sautéing
- 4 yellow onions, large, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, medium, diced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, whole
- 1 sprig curry leaves, fresh
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces, grated ginger, grated garlic, red chili powder, turmeric powder, shallots, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the chicken is well coated with the spices. Cover the bowl and let it marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Transfer the marinated chicken mixture to a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Add 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is almost cooked through and has released its juices. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, reserving any cooking liquid.
⏱️ 20 min
- 3
While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 1/2 cups of canola oil in a separate large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (a small piece of onion should sizzle immediately), add the thinly sliced onions in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Deep-fry the onions patiently, stirring frequently, until they turn a rich golden brown and are crispy. This will take about 10-15 minutes per batch. Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
Carefully pour out most of the oil from the pan used for frying onions, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they break down and become soft and mushy, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Add the partially cooked chicken (along with any reserved cooking liquid) to the pan with the sautéed tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Then, add the deep-fried onions to the chicken and tomato mixture. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, gently breaking up the fried onions as you stir.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Continue to cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for another 10-15 minutes. The goal is for the gravy to thicken and cling to the chicken, becoming almost inseparable. This process allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Sprinkle the whole black peppercorns over the dish. Add the second sprig of fresh curry leaves. Stir everything together one last time to incorporate the final spices and herbs. Serve hot with rice or flatbread.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Chicken Peralan
For the Chicken Marination
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 1/4 cup garlic, grated or minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red chili powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 cup shallots, peeled and halved or quartered
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup water
For the Gravy Base
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil, for deep frying, plus 2 tablespoons for sautéing
- 4 yellow onions, large, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, medium, diced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, whole
- 1 sprig curry leaves, fresh
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces, grated ginger, grated garlic, red chili powder, turmeric powder, shallots, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the chicken is well coated with the spices. Cover the bowl and let it marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Transfer the marinated chicken mixture to a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Add 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is almost cooked through and has released its juices. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, reserving any cooking liquid.
⏱️ 20 min - 3
While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 1/2 cups of canola oil in a separate large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (a small piece of onion should sizzle immediately), add the thinly sliced onions in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Deep-fry the onions patiently, stirring frequently, until they turn a rich golden brown and are crispy. This will take about 10-15 minutes per batch. Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
Carefully pour out most of the oil from the pan used for frying onions, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they break down and become soft and mushy, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Add the partially cooked chicken (along with any reserved cooking liquid) to the pan with the sautéed tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Then, add the deep-fried onions to the chicken and tomato mixture. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, gently breaking up the fried onions as you stir.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Continue to cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for another 10-15 minutes. The goal is for the gravy to thicken and cling to the chicken, becoming almost inseparable. This process allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Sprinkle the whole black peppercorns over the dish. Add the second sprig of fresh curry leaves. Stir everything together one last time to incorporate the final spices and herbs. Serve hot with rice or flatbread.
⏱️ 3 min