Malvani Chicken Curry

Malvani Chicken Curry, a chicken dish originating in the south of the Konkan belt, is undoubtedly the shining beacon of Malvani cuisine.

This fiery crimson curry is everything you’d expect from a spicy gravy preparation. However, what makes Malvani Chicken Curry distinct from other Indian curries is the liberal use of coconut in its gravy. So there is a sweet and savoury balance in each bite. The chicken curry is usually combined with a side of Vade (fried bread dumplings) for a hearty Malvani afternoon meal. Together, this dish is called Malvani Kombdi Rassa Vada, deriving its name from the Marathi words for chicken (kombdi) and curry (rassa).

The other ingredient that lends the dish its characteristic spice hit is Malvani masala, a traditional Maharashtrian roasted spice mix with over 15 elements that include everything from coriander, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, dried chillies, asafoetida, poppy seeds, mace, star anise and nutmeg. The spices are dry roasted in a wok for a few minutes and then ground into a fine powder. This powder can be stored for months in airtight containers.

The preparation of Malvani Chicken is labour-intensive but sure pays its dividends. The chicken is first marinated with Malvani masala, turmeric, lemon juice and salt for a few hours. Then an onion and grated coconut puree is made by first sauteing the onion and coconut till they caramelise, and then blending the mixture into a paste. The third step entails combining these separate elements into a single dish. Thus, in a pan, bay leaves, ginger garlic paste, onions and Malvani masala are sauteed until the mix starts to release oil. The coconut paste is then poured over and stirred vigorously until the water starts to evaporate. The final step is to add the marinated chicken, cover the wok and slow cook it in the bubbling gravy.

This dish is one of the many staple dishes of Malvani cuisine, hailing from the town of Malvan in south Maharashtra. Nestled in between Maharashtra and Goa, Konkan exhibits dominant influences of both Maharashtrian and Goan cuisines. Thus, like in Goan food, coconut is used in every form of a dish—fried, grated or milk. On the other hand, the Malvani-style bread uses a mix of rice flour and black gram flour, which is also a mixture used to make Marathi Vadas.