Chicken Chilli Fry - Mamma's signature dish :)

I was 'home alone' yesterday and I had to cook something for myself if I din't want to starve ( me and starving?????and the too on a Sunday???? no way!! :P ) So before my mom left she told me that there was half a chicken left in the freezer and I could do whatever I wanted to :)

My bro had gone to play and I knew he wouldn't be back home till lunch time...so I spent hours in front of the system hoping atleast one of my friends would come online on GTalk so that I could kill my time :P But no one came! :( So the only other option was to cook something and keep myself engaged :) I was not in a mood for experimenting since there was only 'half' a chicken left :D And therefore went ahead in making this aromatic, thick gravy-ied (is there a word like that?? ) chicken curry! :)

Don't get confused with the chinese chilli chicken! It's not that! Not even a wee bit! :P My grandparents were in Malaysia for quite a few years when my dad was young, and Mamma claims that she learnt it from the 'kokie' ( cook) there :) So here's another eazy breezy dish from Mamma :)
Chicken Chilli Fry

Recipe source My grandmom

Ingredients:

Chicken 1 kg ( can use pork, beef etc)

Ginger garlic paste -1 tbsp

Tomatoes -4 medium

Onions -6 medium

Salt-as required

Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp [depending on the type used i.e; Kashmiri chilli powder etc]

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Oil-5-6 tbsp ( we use coconut oil)

Water -as required ( if needed)

Method:

• Puree tomatoes and onions together.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add ginger garlic paste and saute till you get a nice aroma.
• Add the puree to it and fry for a good 8-10 mins on low flame. ( do not reduce the time because it will taste raw and the curry will taste BAD! ) Edited on 10 Feb 2012: After receiving a negative comment (the very first of it's kind here),I cannot stress enough on how you need to saute this puree for a good 8-10 mins...or make it more, saute till you can see the oil separate as I don't want your efforts to be wasted. This is really a good, mild curry but the only place you can go wrong is this step as I have gone wrong many times, whenever I took a shortcut :) If this curry wasn't good, it wouldn't have been on this blog or categorized as my family favourite! Also, if you are cooking on an electric stove, low heat is just a waste option, increase it to medium or medium high.
• Add the powders and salt to taste. Fry for 3-4 mins.
• Add the chicken. Stir well. Close the lid and cook till 1 whistle comes . If using beef or pork cooking time will vary accordingly. Pork is best cooked the normal way in a kadai or any other open vessel and not in a pressure cooker.
• If you think you need more gravy add water accordingly and give it a boil.
• Check for salt.
• Serve hot with rice, chapathi ,porota .

This is another family favourite dish :) I'm sure all you 'tomato-onion combo' lovers would love it :)
I am suprised that I have some of the curry left... will have it for dinner tonight! My parents will be back home in the evening... they can have a share of it :) I know it will not be sufficient for the 4 of us... but still :)