Pallipalayam Chicken Fry

Pallipalayam Chicken is a spicy chicken fry variety, that has a fancy name, but is quite simple to prepare. To those who don't know, Pallipalayam is a small town near Erode in TamilNadu. It is famous for being the birthplace of the Math genius - Srinivasa Ramanujan. This dish is unique because it relies on dry red chillies(only) to spice the dish, and it adds a fiery goodness to it.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the broken red chillies, and let the chillies infuse the oil. This step is the key to the flavor in this dish. Take care not to burn the chillies. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears. Add the chicken, turmeric and salt. Fry until the chicken is seared and well cooked. Add the curry leaves and fry for a couple of minutes. Finish off with a sprinkle of cilantro.

This dish can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish.

Verdict: Since it doesn't have any garam masala or tomatoes of chilly powder, it has a unique flavor to it. Very tasty and spicy too.