Chicken Curry-Kerala Style

Kerala is one of the south Indian states of India. Coconut is a main ingredient in almost all the recipes belonging to this region. Sometimes it is used scraped, sometimes as a paste, sometimes the milk of coconut is extracted and added to the dish and some other times it is dry roasted and then ground into a paste before adding it to any dish. Each way of adding coconut gives a distinctive flavour to the dish. Here in this curry the coconut is roasted and then made to a paste before finally adding it to the gravy.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  kg  fresh whole chicken, cut into medium pieces
•  to taste salt
• 2  teaspoons turmeric
• 1  teaspoon red chili powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  onion, chopped
• 6  garlic flakes
• 2  inches  piece gingerroot, chopped
• 4  green chilies, slit
• 2  sprigs curry leaves
• 3  tablespoons  coriander seeds
• 5  round red chilies
• 1  cup  scraped coconut
• 2  tablespoons  scraped coconut
• 1  teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1  onion, sliced
• 2  sprigs curry leaves

Directions

1. Marinate the chicken in Chilli powder, Turmeric Powder, Black Pepper Powder and salt for 15-20 minutes.
2. Then add in chopped Onions chopped Garlic chopped Ginger slit Green chilles and Curry Leaves and set aside for another 1/2 an hour.
3. Meanwhile Dry roast the corriander seeds and the chillies till lightly browned. Make a paste of this when at room temperature. Keep aside.
4. Dry roast the scraped coconut till it is brown in colour(do not over brown it). Make a paste of this too, when at room temperature, and set aside.
5. Mix in the dry roasted corriander and chilli paste to the chicken and marinate for another 1 hour or more.
6. Heat a thick bottom wok or a deep pan add the chicken and 1 cup of water and cook covered on high flame(about 5-10 minutes) making sure the chicken doesn't scorch.
7. Keep cooking on low(covered) after this, while stirring ocassionally.
8. When the chicken is done add the coconut paste and cook for some more time.
9. Finally heat some coconut oil and splutter the mustard seeds and add sliced onions, when they are light brown in colour add the curry leaves and 2 tbsp of scraped coconut. fry till the coconuts are slightly browned. Pour this onto the chicken and mix. Cover and remove from flame.
10. Serve after some time with Kerala Parottas.