It is not uncommon for people in Keralite homes to enjoy a deliciously creamy and spice-y chicken curry for dinner with unending supplies of dosas hot off the stove. The naadan kozhi curry, literally translating to chicken curry of the native land, celebrates all the spices that Kerala is known for, in the best way possible. Punctuated with a spice paste that has whole black peppercorns, cinnamon and ginger, this chicken curry does require a bit of work to be put in, before you can enjoy the fruits of your labour. Besides, you could spend your Sundays making this curry, filling your home with the smells of cooking and having hungry stomachs waiting in anticipation.
While the ingredient list might seem a bit elaborate, the curry is done in a matter of moments once your spice paste is ready to go. You could use chicken breast as your meat of choice for the curry but using chicken thighs provides a lot more flavour and using bone-in chicken accentuates the richness of the dish, overall. Be warned, you can cancel all your plans for the day after lunch because the only thing you would want to do after, is lull yourself into a nap.
Recipe:
Ingredients
- 500 grams bone-in chicken thighs + drumsticks
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns
- 2 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 inch piece ginger, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup coconut milk
- Salt to taste
Image Credits: Rathna's Kitchen/YouTube
Method
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- Heat some oil in a pan and roast the coriander seeds on a low flame, until they deepen in colour. Add the black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cloves and sauté for a minute or two.
- Add the cumin and fennel seeds followed by the slices of ginger and roast until fragrant. Throw in the onions and garlic and fry until the onions start to brown on the edges.
- Once browned, add in the curry leaves and tomatoes and season lightly with salt. Once the tomatoes begin to release moisture and soften lightly, cover and cook them down further for 8-10 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.
- Cool the mixture lightly once done and blitz in a food processor until you get a smooth paste and set aside. In the same kadhai, heat some more coconut oil and add the bay leaves and green chillies to allow them to crackle.
- Throw in the chicken, increase the heat and brown on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside on a plate. Take note that, at this stage, you only want to brown the chicken and not cook it entirely.
- Add the ground spice paste back into the pan and stir it well. Add the turmeric powder and chilli powder, followed by the coconut milk. If the mixture feels too thick at this point, dilute it with a tablespoon or two of water.
- Toss back the browned chicken into the simmering gravy and cook for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through but tender. Season to taste, rest for 20 minutes before serving with dosas, parottas, ghee rice or appams.
