Chettinad Chicken with a Twist of Beetroot

Ingredients:
Marinate
5 lbs (2.25Kg) - Chicken (1 whole chicken)
3.5 Tablespoon - Ginger-garlic paste
3/4 Tsp - Turmeric powder
Salt

Dry Roast
2.5 Tablespoon - Whole peppercorns
6 -Whole dried red chilies
1.5 Tablespoon - Coriander seeds
1/2 Tsp - Fennel seeds
3/4 Tsp - Cumin seeds
1 - Bay leaf
2 Tsp - Poppy seeds
6 - Cardamom
6 - Cloves
2 inch - Cinnamon stick
2 - Star anise
2 sprig - Curry leaves
1/2 Cup - Coconut, grated

Gravy
3 Cups - Red Onion, chopped
3 - Tomato
1 beetroot
2 Sprig - Curry leaves
Oil
Salt per taste

Directions
Marinate the chicken with fresh ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt.Set it aside in the refrigerator for atleast 1 hour Meanwhile, take a heavy bottom pan and add all the ingredients under 'Dry Roast' and keep stirring for 5-8 minutes.Take the spices off the heat and let it coolOnce cooled transfer it to a blender, add water to it and grind it into a fine paste.

Heat some oil in a large saute pan and add onions and curry leaves and season with salt Saute until the onions are golden brown. Mix in chopped tomatoes and grind the beetroot with little water and saute until the tomatoes and beetroot are soft and mushy. 

Stir in the marinated chicken and cover and cook for 20 minutes stirring in between to make sure that chicken is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.Open the lid and add the ground spice mixture. Add water and adjust the salt and cook until you the gravy reaches the desired consistency & chicken is tender & serve with hot naan ....