Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Kerala Chicken Stew


Many many  years ago when I went for a Wedding reception in Kochi they served appam with a Kerala chicken stew. I was probably only 8 years then but when it involves food I have a photographic memory! There was karimeen fry, fish molly , pork ullarthu and lots of other yummy food. Now when I think about it seemed like a posh reception to be serving a buffet party that long ago! Any way the taste of that food is still lingering in my mouth and appam and chicken stew became my favourite food. I do make this stew a lot at home and my son loves it too. I usually makes the stew for dinner and pair it with appam and next morning I make some fresh idiyappam to eat the left over stew and I have to say those two combination are probably the match made in heaven !



Ingredients
Chicken with bones – 500gm

(Whole garam masala)
Fennel seeds/ പെരും ജീരകം  – 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick/പട്ട – 1 small stick
Cloves/ ഗ്രാമ്പു – 3-3
Cardamom/ഏലക്ക – 3-4
Star anise/ തകോളം - 1
Bay leaf / പട്ട ഇല – 2

Onion (medium) – 2 chopped + ½ thinly sliced
Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ tsp
Potato – 2 small
Carrot – 1
Coconut milk – 1 cup ( ¾ cup thin milk + ¼ cup thick milk)
Green chillies – 2
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Cashewnut – ¼ cup  soaked in water and ground to paste (optional)
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – pinch (optional)
  • Pepper powder- 1 tsp
  • Salt
  • Oil/Ghee
  • Water


Method
  • Marinate the chicken with salt and pepper and leave it aside.
  • In a saucepan/kadai/ ചീനചട്ടി  add oil and add the whole garam masala ingredients mentioned and when it starts to give a good aroma  add the chopped onions. Saute the onions until light brown in colour.
  • Add ginger garlic paste, green chillies, curry leaves and saute until raw smell goes off.
  • Add coriander powder, pinch of turmeric and fry for a few seconds.
  • Add the chicken, cubed potato and carrots and add the thin coconut milk too. Cover and cook until chicken is almost done.
  • Finally add the thick coconut milk, cashew paste and water as required and when it is about to boil remove from fire.
  • In a small pan add oil/ghee and add thinly sliced onions and fry till brown. Add the fried onion to the gravy.
  • Serve hot with Appam/Idiyappam /chapathi or Porotta!

2 comments:

FLAVZCORNER said...

I made appam and stew a week ago before the lent started. You are tempting me with that thick yummy gravy chicken stew :). Looks like you are on a cooking spree. Keep it coming Vinee!!

Rafeeda AR said...

That chicken stew is calling my name... love that you incorporated Malayalam into your recipe... :)