• The methods of cooking meat in the south produce different flavors and use local produce, such as coconut, tamarind and curry leaves. Dishes from the south are hotter and more spicy than those from the north. The Bengali (Bangladesh included) method of cooking is extremely testy and is in a class of its own. 

• The dishes are prepared with meticulous precision and great care. Curries involve long, slow simmering to extract the juices from the meat.

CHICKEN CHETTINAD

INGREDIENTS:

4 chicken breasts on the bone, skin on
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
8 golden shallots
12 cloves of garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
6 dried red chillies
1 tbsp black peppercorns
5 tomatoes
125ml vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

• Clean and trim the chicken breasts. Season to taste with sea salt and sprinkle with turmeric and set aside.
• Peel the shallots and garlic. Dry-roast half the fennel seeds with chillies and peppercorns over gentle heat, stirring constantly. Crush using a pestle and mortar. Crush the shallots and garlic in a blender, then mix in the pounded spices. Chop up the tomatoes roughly.
• Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Put in the rest of the fennel seeds and then the chicken breasts. Seal well on all sides and remove.
• Add the tomato and some salt. Stir and cook well. Add the garlic, shallot and spice mix and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Return chicken to the pan and simmer over low heat until it reduces to a thick sauce consistency.
• [Note: I used chicken drumsticks and finished the cooking process in the oven at a low temperature so that the meat on the drumsticks would be very tender]
  

        How to cook Chicken Chettinad?

LAMB KEEMA

INGREDIENTS:

(1 Ib)450g kg lamb
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 curry leaf
4 cloves
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 green chilies, sliced
½ cup yogurt
1 tbsp dried fenugreek
salt to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
cilantro and peas to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat the oil in a preheated wok, or large pan,
• Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until light brown.
• Add the cinnamon stick, cardamoms, curry leaf and cloves and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute then stir in garlic-ginger and cook for 1 additional minute.
• Add the ground lamb and sprinkle over the ground coriander, cumin, and chili powder.
• Cook for 5 minutes, or until the lamb is lightly browned.
• Stir in the yogurt and fenugreek and season with salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Ladle into serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro.

  
  How to cook Lamb Keema?
  

  
  
  
  

TANDOORI SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb 2 oz/1 kg jumbo shrimps
1 cup yogurt
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chili powder
3 tsp garlic-ginger paste
1 tsp red food coloring
3 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Place the yogurt in a large bowl. Add the garlic-ginger paste, chili powder, cumin, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and red food coloring and blend together until well mixed.
• Add shrimps to the yogurt - spice mixture and mix to coat well.
• Cover and let it marinate in refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours.
• Preheat the broiler to the medium.
• Transfer shrimps to a heatproof dish and brush with vegetable oil.
• ▫ Cook under the preheated broiler for 30-35 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally and basting with any remaining oil, until the meat is tender and cooked through.

        How to cook Tandoori Shrimp?