Varutharacha Kozhi Curry/ Chicken in Roasted Coconut Gravy

Ingredients

Chicken – 1 kg cut into pieces

Onions – 2 big chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Green chillies – 3 slit

Curry leaves – 3 sprigs

Tomato paste – 4 tbsp

Maggi coconut milk powder – 3/4 cup

Chicken masala – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder – 2 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Perumjeerakam/Aniseed powder – 1/4 tsp

Jeera/Cumin seed powder – 1/4 tsp

Water – 3 cups

Salt – to taste

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Method

In a small non-stick pan, mix together coconut milk powder and all the spice powders.  Dry roast it on a very low flame till the mixture is golden brown in color.  Stir continuously during the process.  Allow the mixture to cool.  Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Add onions, green chillies and curry leaves.  Fry till the onions turn golden brown.  Add the ginger garlic paste and fry on a low flame till the aroma comes out.  Add the tomato paste and fry for a minute.  Now add the roasted coconut -spice powder mixture.  Add 1/4 cup of water and fry well.  Pour 3 cups of water and add the chicken pieces and salt.  Mix well and cook covered till done.  Stir in between.  Switch off the flame when the gravy is thick.  Lip-smacking ‘Varutharacha Kozhi Curry’ can be served with rice, appam, puttu, idiyappam, rotis, dosa or bread.  Enjoy with your loved ones!!!

Use coconut oil to bring in more flavor.

In the traditional method, grated coconut is dry roasted along with whole spices and ground to a paste.  I have made it into a simple recipe by using all the powders.

Similarly, use two chopped tomatoes, ginger and garlic instead of pastes to bring in the authentic taste.

‘Varutharacha Kozhi Curry’ is off to Priya for the event “Healing Foods – Onions” which was started by Siri.