Karivepaku Chicken Fry Recipe
Crispy chicken pieces tossed with fried curry leaves, green chilies, and flavorful South Indian kick.
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Ingredients
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Marinade
Frying & Tempering
Method
Marinade
Prepare chicken
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Make 2–3 shallow slits on each piece to help marinade penetrate.
Mix marinade
In a large bowl combine ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, salt, yogurt, cornstarch (or rice flour), lemon juice, and finely chopped curry leaves. Stir into a smooth paste.
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and rub thoroughly so the spice mix gets into the slits and coats each piece. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Frying & Tempering
Shallow fry chicken
Heat 3–4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add marinated chicken pieces (work in batches so they don’t crowd). Fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 75°C / 165°F), about 10–12 minutes per batch for medium pieces. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Crisp finish (optional)
If you prefer extra crispiness, increase heat to medium-high and shallow-fry the drained pieces briefly for 1–2 minutes per side until very crisp, watching carefully to avoid burning. Drain again.
Temper and toss
Wipe the pan lightly, then add the remaining oil (about 1/4 cup) and heat over medium. Add mustard seeds; once they sputter, add cumin seeds (if using), urad or chana dal and sauté until dal turns golden (30–45 seconds). Add sliced garlic and slit green chilies; sauté 30–60 seconds until fragrant (don’t burn garlic). Add the additional whole curry leaves and immediately reduce heat to medium-low — fry the leaves and chilies until the leaves are crisp and aromatic, about 1–2 minutes.
Return the fried chicken pieces to the pan. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat the pieces with the tempered oil, crisp curry leaves, chilies and garlic. Cook together for 1–2 minutes so flavors marry. Taste and adjust salt or squeeze a little extra lemon juice if desired.
Garnish and serve
Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with spring onions or thinly sliced red onion and a few fresh curry leaves. Serve hot as an appetizer or with rice/roti.
