Mangalorean Chicken
Chicken cooked with chilli, coconut and spices. From the coastal region of Karnataka on the Southwest of India. Also known as Kori Gassi, Kori meaning Chicken and Gassi referring to a curry made with coconut and spices in the local dialect. A reasonably spicy dish, calmed slightly by the coconut milk. This has all the flavours of the local region. Mustard seed, curry leaves, tamarind and finished with black pepper, clove and cinnamon for a warming, comforting curry.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 750 g chicken thighs or breasts cut into cubes
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or half a teaspoon each of paprika and chilli powder.
- 2 tsp garlic & ginger paste
- ½ tsp salt
Onion & Spice Paste
- 2 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut or you can use fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or 3 teaspoons of paprika and 2 teaspoons of chilli
- 2 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 200 ml of coconut milk
Finishing Spices
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 inch piece of cassia bark
- 3 whole cloves
Mangalorean Curry
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp garlic & ginger paste
- 1 tbsp of mild curry powder or mix powder
- 300 ml water
- 1 tbsp of lime juice fresh or bottled
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- Handful of chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
Marinate The Chicken
- Add everything together in a bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours, covered in a refrigerator.
Make The Onion & Spice Paste
- In a dry frying pan, toast the desiccated coconut on a low heat, stirring often until it is a light golden colour. Tip out into a bowl.
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Cook on a moderate heat, stirring occasionally until they are a darkish brown colour.
- Add the Kashmiri Chilli powder and cook for around 40 seconds.
- Put the onion mixture in the bowl with the coconut. Add the tamarind and coconut milk and let cool.
- Once cool blitz in a food processor to a smooth paste.
Make The Finishing Spice
- Gently roast the spices in a dry frying pan. Once they smell aromatic, take off the heat and tip onto a plate to cool. Once cool, grind in a pestle and mortar or grinder to a fine powder.
Make The Curry
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they are sizzling add the curry leaves and onions. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to turn golden.
- Add the garlic & ginger paste and fry for 30 – 40 seconds.
- Add the curry powder or mix powder and fry for another 30 – 40 seconds.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat with the spices and onions.
- Add the onion paste and again, coat the chicken with it.
- Add the water, stir in and bring to a simmer.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a gentle simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 20 minutes add the lime juice, sugar, salt and finishing spices. If the sauce is looking a little thick add some more water. Cook for a further 10 minutes with the lid off.
- Check for seasoning and add more salt if required. Stir in the fresh coriander and serve.
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