The traditional south Indian recipe is prepared with a dry-roasted spice blend made from a mixture of traditional spices and coconut adding a fantastic flavour to the dish, as well as giving the gravy it's inviting deep brown colour. This dish is generally served spicy, so feel free to adjust the number of chillies if you'd prefer a slightly milder flavour.
Ingredients
CHICKEN CURRY
1 chicken, cut into pieces
3 bay leaves
3 green chillies, slit open
150g of onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp of coriander, chopped
2 tbsp of oil, plus extra to fry the chicken
salt
ROASTED COCONUT MASALA
1 tbsp of coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp of fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 stick of cinnamon,
4 cloves
4 cardamom slightly crushed
3 dried red chillies, whole
20 curry leaves
1 thumb-size piece ginger
6 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tbsp of shallots, sliced
30g of freshly grated coconut
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp of oil
Method
1. To begin, make the roasted coconut masala. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan and once hot, add all of the dry spices, the dried chillies and the curry leaves. Cook until pungent.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and shallots and cook for a few minutes. Add the coconut and turmeric powder and roast all of the masala ingredients together, sautéing until golden-brown. Add a splash of water if required.
3. Remove from the pan, leave to cool then grind in a blender with a small splash of water to create a silky paste.
4. To prepare the curry, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan add the bay leaves, green chillies, onions and turmeric powder. Sauté the onions until golden brown, then add the masala paste to the pan and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well and leave the pan covered on a gentle heat until the tomatoes break down and the masala is fragrant.
6. Add a dash of oil to a clean pan, place over medium heat and, once hot, add the chicken pieces. Stir-fry on high heat until the chicken is golden, then reduce the heat and add the curry. Allow the chicken to simmer on a gentle heat for approximately 20 minutes – the oil will eventually separate from the curry.
7. Check the seasoning and stir in the coriander. Once the chicken is fully cooked through, serve hot garnished with the fresh coconut and toasted coconut flakes.
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