Kerala style fish curry turned into chicken curry…
Kerala cuisine is known for its fish curries. There are a million versions of fish curries, it varies from house to house. I’d already posted the recipes for making a few fish curries that are popular in my hometown. It can be made with coconut or without coconut. If using coconut, it can be roasted or unroasted. There are many variations, no matter how you vary it kerala fish curry tastes just phenomenal.
The other day I was almost set to make fish curry in coconut gravy, without rosting the coconut. I then had to pause and think: how it would be if I added chicken instead of fish. It didn’t sound too weird or bizarre to me, so I made chicken in unroasted coconut gravy. It turned out good. The aroma of this curry definitely made me feel it’s fish curry, as I tasted I realized it’s chicken curry.
Chicken in coconut gravy
Serves: 4 to 6 people
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts, cubed – 3 fillet
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Salt- to taste
To grind:
- Coconut, grated- 1 cup
- Chili powder- 1 1/2 tsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tsp
- Small onions or shallots, chopped-2
- Water- 3/4 cup
Other ingredients:
- Tamarind, fresh- 2 inch slice soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
Instruction
- In a blender, grind the ingredients mentioned above “to grind” to a smooth paste.
- Place a large non-stick pan or clay pot over medium heat.
- Add chicken to the pan along with curry leaves and salt.
- Cook covered till chicken has cooked well.
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for 5 minutes. Smash it with water, strain the juice and discard the tamarind skin.
- Pour the ground coconut to the cooked chicken, combine well. If it is too thick, add water to thin it down.
- Add the strained tamarind juice to the chicken, combine well.
- Cook covered till the raw smell of coconut goes away. Let the coconut gravy come to a slight boil and then simmer it.
- Have a taste, if needed add more salt. if you want it spicy add more chili powder according to your needs
- Uncover the pan and cook for some more time till the gravy has slightly thickened.
- If you prefer to have gravy, you don’t have to thicken it.
- Remove the pan from the heat and keep covered for sometime.
- Serve with rice, chapati, orotti, pathiri, puttu etc.
Tips:
- If adding concentrated tamarind paste, add aound 1/2 tsp or so.
- Chicken breasts, cubed - 3 fillet
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Salt- to taste
- Coconut, grated- 1 cup
- Chili powder- 1½ tsp
- Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tsp
- Small onions or shallots, chopped-2
- Water- ¾ cup
- Tamarind, fresh- 2 inch slice soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
- In a blender, grind the ingredients mentioned above "to grind" to a smooth paste.
- Place a large non-stick pan or clay pot over medium heat.
- Add chicken to the pan along with curry leaves and salt.
- Cook covered till chicken has cooked well.
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for 5 minutes. Smash it with water, strain the juice and discard the tamarind skin.
- Pour the ground coconut to the cooked chicken, combine well. If it is too thick, add water to thin it down.
- Add the strained tamarind juice to the chicken, combine well.
- Cook covered till the raw smell of coconut goes away. Let the coconut gravy come to a slight boil and then simmer it.
- Have a taste, if needed add more salt. if you want it spicy add more chili powder according to your needs
- Uncover the pan and cook for some more time till the gravy has slightly thickened.
- If you prefer to have gravy, you don't have to thicken it.
- Remove the pan from the heat and keep covered for sometime.
- Serve with rice, chapati, orotti, pathiri, puttu etc.
