Curry chicken – Kerala style

Ingredients
Chicken – 1 kg
Onion large -3
Green chillies – 2
Tomatoes -2
Ginger -1 inch piece
Garlic – 8 to 9 cloves
Curry leaves – 4 sprigs
Grated coconut – half
Red chilli powder – 2 tablespoons
Coriander powder – 1 tablespoons
Turmeric powder – ¼ tablespoon
Cardamom- 3
Cinnamon – 1 large stick
Cloves- 3
Pepper seed- 1 teaspoon
Fennel seed – 1 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Coconut Oil – 3 tablespoons

Method

Heat oil in a pan and add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper seed and fennel seed sauté them well. Now add the grated coconut and sauté them well. You are roasting these ingredients and you need to stir it all well. Do this till the coconut is mildly brown. Then add 2 sprigs of curry leaves. Drop the heat and add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Stir this continuously as powdered spices tend to burn quickly. Stir for two minutes and set aside to cook down completely. When cool grind this mixture and set aside. Wash the mixer in a bit of water and save the masala water

Now for the curry – Grind the ginger and garlic into fine paste and set this too aside. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add the fennel seeds; let this crackle. Add finely chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or till they are translucent. Now add the green chillies and the ginger and garlic paste and the rest of the curry leaves Add chopped tomatoes and salt sauté it well. Cover and cook till the tomatoes become soft.

Now add the ground coconut masala mix along with the masala water and cook for two minutes on slow fine. Add some more water to form a curry and bring this to a robust boil. Season with salt. Now add the chicken which has been cut into small curry pieces and washed well. Cook this for another fifteen minutes or till the chicken is cooked. Check for salt and season accordingly. Serve with plain boiled rice.

Distinct to this dish is the use of curry leaves and coconut oil.