Kerala Chicken Curry/Home Style Chicken Curry

Kerala Chicken Curry

Spicy chicken curry is a great accompaniment with rice, appam, or chapati. This chicken curry is an old comfort food recipe, simple and straight forward and you will never go wrong with this. It is a simple, easy chicken curry but tastes delicious. The flavor of earthy spices, onion tomato- masala, and coconut milk all melding into one another, to make rich and aromatic chicken curry. This home-style chicken was the first chicken curry that mom taught me. My mom is my food hero, and sometimes she got this wildly experimenting streak which drives my dad crazy, but I enjoy it the most. So let me call this home style, standardized regular curry, which she makes every Sunday. Now when I’m feeling extra nostalgic for homey taste, I make this chicken curry.  It goes well with almost anything-naans, chapatis, ghee rice, fried rice, or with freshly baked bread.  

Coconut milk adds flavor and a touch of sweetness to the curry. If you like, you can add sliced coconut pieces for a delightful crunch. You can use your favorite canned coconut milk, but I bet it tastes delicious with freshly squeezed coconut milk. Coconut milk is optional, but it makes the gravy luxurious, and rich. The ground masala used in this recipe is a fragrant masala paste with a kick of chilly peppers and black pepper. This is a versatile recipe, and you can add vegetables like potatoes, green peas, or bell pepper. Try this recipe, you will surely love it

Ingredients
Chicken- 1 1/2 lb
Onions-   2 medium
Shallots-  15-20
Green Chilies- 2
Ginger  -   2 inch thick
Garlic-      8-10
Tomato    1
Curry leaves
Oil
Salt to taste

Spice Mix
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder-  1 tsp
(  piriyan mulaku powder)
Coriander powder- 2 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 to 3/4
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Cardamon- 2
Star anise- 1
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Clove- 4-5
Nutmeg powder- a pinch


Thick coconut milk - 3/4 cup (optional)
Crushed cashews- 4-5
coriander leaves for garnish

Lightly dry roast the ingredients under the spice mix and make a fine powder. Cut, clean, and marinate the chicken with this spice mix and keep aside for half an hour.
 Cut onions into thin slices and cut shallots into halves. Crush ginger and garlic into a coarse paste.
 Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, and add curry leaves.  I add 1/2 tsp of sugar to the oil, and it gives a nice caramelized color to the onion, but this is optional. Add ginger and garlic paste, and after a minute of sauteing add onions and fry till golden brown. Add tomatoes and salt, and allow it to cook and mashed up. Now add the marinated chicken and roast in a medium flame till all the masalas are well coated, and the chicken starts oozing its water. Close the lid for two minutes and cook in a medium flame. At this stage, the chicken will cook in its juice. After two to three minutes,  add 1 1/2 cup of water and check salt. Close the lid and cook for 8-10 minutes and stir occasionally. Allow the curry to reach your desired consistency and add coconut milk and crushed cashew nut. Switch off the flame after a minute and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve warm.

You might also like,

Butter Chicken/Murgh Makhani
Malabar Chicken Fry
Chicken Ghee Roast
Chicken fry Kodavu style (Coorg)
Andhra Style Green Chilli Chicken

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy..