kozhi Vartha Kozhambu

Kozhi Vartha Kozhambu

A very tasty Chettinad style chicken curry. Goes well with plain rice or rice varieties, aapppam, Kerala appam, chapatis .. Recipe from Sabitha Radhakrishna’s cookery book ‘’Aharam’’(First published in 2000).

Serves: 7 – 8

Ingredients

1 kg chicken, cut into 12 – 14 pieces

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and clean chicken pieces. Drain out water thoroughly. In a wide bowl, marinate drained chicken pieces with turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for half an hour.

Other main ingredients

250 ml thin coconut milk

100 ml thick coconut milk

For tempering:

1 tablespoon oil (or up to 3 tablespoon or 50 ml)

2 (1 – inch piece) cinnamon

2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 springs curry leaves (or 12 nos)

3 large (each 60 – 70 g) onions, sliced finely

2 tablespoon thick ginger – garlic paste (fresh and homemade)

1 tablespoon (3 teaspoon) red chilli powder

1 tablespoon (3 teaspoon) coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

3 large tomatoes, chopped

Marinated chicken pieces

Extra salt to taste (or 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon thick tamarind paste (or to taste)

Method

Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add cinnamon and fennel seeds. Fry on a low heat until fragrant.

Add curry leaves, sauté and add onions. When they turn golden brown, add ginger – garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Saute for 2 minutes, add chopped tomatoes, and sauté till tomatoes are well blended.

Add marinated chicken pieces and salt and fry oil rises on top.

Pour thin coconut milk over the chicken, and cook covered on low heat.

When the chicken is tender, add thick coconut milk, and the thick tamarind paste.

Simmer for 5 minutes, and remove from the heat.

Serve with plain rice or rice varieties, chapatti, parotta, aappam, appam ..

Tip: Consume this curry after half an hour. Then it will absorb all the flavours of spices and coconut milk.