Coconut Chicken Curry...... Once upon a time

Coconut Chicken Curry...Not all recipes have to have a story…do they? Well stories provide the hook but not all recipes can have memories attached to them?...Would you call not being aware of what is there in your refrigerator a story?...no, na? well this is how I started making my Coconut Chicken Curry…thought there were boneless thighs  in there and it turned out to be full curry cut chicken…was craving Red Thai curry with that smooth coconut milk texture and instead made this…a regular ever since…I often  make it a day before, as coconut milk curries taste even creamier the next day.

Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• Chicken, Curry cut, 1 kg cut into 12 pieces
• Onions, Sliced, 3 large
• Tomato Puree, 4 tbsp
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves, 8-10 
• Coconut Milk, Thick, 400 ml (I used coconut milk powder and made thick milk using water, u can use tinned : half each of milk+ cream)
• Black peppercorns, 4-5
• Cloves, 3-4
• Cinnamon, 1”

For the marinade:

• Ginger paste, 2 tsp
• Garlic paste, 2 tsp
• Coriander powder, 1 tsp
• Red chili powder, 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder, 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri Red chili powder, 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp

For tempering:

• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds, ½ tsp
• Fresh Curry laves, a handful
• Dried red chili, 1-2

Instructions:

Make a couple of slits on each piece after chicken has been washed, cleaned and wiped dry. 

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the marinade, rub the mix on the chicken and let the chicken marinate for a couple of hours.

Heat oil in a deep pan, and add cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. 

Once the spices start to splutter, add the onions and fry on low heat till light golden brown. 

Add the marinated chicken, curry leaves and tomato puree, mix and stir on high heat for about 7-10 minutes. 

Lower the heat again and add the coconut milk. Cover and cook till chicken is completely cooked through - about 30 minutes or so.

For tempering:

Heat the oil in a small pan. 

Add mustard seeds, dried red chili and curry leaves. 

When curry leaves get crispy, sprinkle the tempering on the plated up chicken curry.

Perfect when served with steamed rice or Malabar paranthas.