Varutharacha Chicken Curry

Varutharacha Chicken Curry

Kerala style chicken curry, made of dry roasted spicy coconut paste.

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

600 g chicken pieces, cut into medium size

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

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

For the coconut paste:

5 tablespoon grated coconut (75 g)

10 shallots (chuvannulli / sambar onion / saanu piyyavu)

1 spring curry leaves (6 – 8 nos)

In an iron kadai / frying pan, dry roast grated coconut first. Stir continuously / fry for 8 – 10 minutes until light golden color and fragrant. Then add shallots and curry leaves. Fry until golden color and crisp. It may take another 10 – 12 minutes. Switch off the heat and keep aside to cool for half an hour. Transfer all the dry roasted ingredients into a small mixer bowl and make a smooth paste. Sprinkle 1 – 2 tablespoon water when making the paste.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion

2 tablespoon thick ginger = garlic paste

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon pepper powder

2 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tomatoes, chopped

6 curry leaves

Marinated chicken pieces

½ cup water (75 ml – 100 ml)

½ - ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Coconut paste

Shallow fried curry leaves (optional)

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, pepper powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 2 tablespoon water (spice mix).

Heat oil in a frying pan / kadai. Add sliced onions and fry until golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and fry for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add spice mix and stir well for 2 – 3 minutes until the water dries up and well combined with onion and ginger – garlic paste.

Add chopped tomatoes and mix well.

Add curry leaves and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add marinated chicken pieces, salt to taste and add 75 ml - 100 ml water - 1/2 cup (water level should be ¾ th from the base of the pan / kadai . It won't be tasty if the gravy is too thin. So no need to add 1 cup (200 ml water)). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 20 – 30 minutes or until ¾ th done.

Now add dry roasted grated coconut paste. Cover again and cook on a low heat for another 10 minutes until done / fragrant / golden color. Decorate with shallow fried curry leaves (Optional). Serve with pulao / plain rice / rotis / Kerala Parotta / appam …