Kerala Style- Chicken with Roasted Coconut

Cook, Serve & Eat this Spicy & flavorful ‘Kerala style Chicken Curry’, if you love South Indian food just like me, you will love this for sure.

Kerala Style- Chicken with Roasted Coconut

Ingredients

For the coconut masala paste

• Large onion- 1 peel, wash & cut into halves
• Dry red chilies- 5-6 deseeded
• Freshly grated coconut- ¾ cup
• 4 clove + 1 ” piece cinnamon + 3 green cardamom + 2 tsp black pepper corns + 1 tsp mustard seeds + 1 pinch fenugreek seeds + 3/4 tsp cumin seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds + 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• Coriander powder- 2 tsp (heaped)
• Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
• Water- ½ cup (add some more if required)

For the chicken curry

• Chicken- 1 kg
• Large onion- 2 peel, wash & thinly sliced
• Large tomato- 1 (roughly chopped)
• Chopped ginger- 2 tsp
• Chopped garlic- 2 tsp
• Slit green chilies- 2-3
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Salt
• Mustard oil

For the tempering

• Mustard oil- 3 tbsp
• Black mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Curry leaves- 2 sprig
• White vinegar- 1 tsp

Method

In a frying pan (nonstick preferably) add grated coconut, dry red chilies, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, pepper corns, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seed, coriander seeds & fennel seeds. Dry fry on low flame till the coconut turns light brown in color. Care should be taken not to burn the spices. Remove from heat. Keep aside. Let it be cooled. In a grinder add rest of the ingredients mentioned for coconut masala paste with the roasted coconut. Add water. Grind till a smooth paste forms. Keep aside.

Heat 5 tbsp oil in a deep frying pan/ kadai. Add chopped ginger-garlic & curry leaves. Sauté on medium flame for few seconds. Add sliced onions, fry till light brown in color. Next to add chopped tomato. Sauté for 1 minute, with the help of the spatula mash the tomatoes. Now add freshly washed chicken pieces & green chilies. Mix, cover & cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the coconut masala paste. Mix well cover & cook for 15 minutes on low flame. Stir in between. Add 1 cup of water & salt. Mix well cover & cook till the chicken pieces are fully boiled. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.

Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan. Tamper with curry leaves & mustard seeds. Sauté for few seconds. Turn off the heat. Add vinegar, mix & pour this tadka over chicken curry.

Serve hot with steamed rice or paratha. 

Note: 

Adjust green chilies, dry red chilies & black peppercorns according to your tolerance.

Adjust water for gravy according to your choice or desire for thick or semi thick gravy. I like my curry to be on thicker side, so 1 cup of water was perfect for me.

Use coconut oil for the authentic Kerala taste. The Bong in me can’t eat coconut oil so I used mustard oil.