Mangalorean Chicken Red Curry

A traditional recipe of Mangalorean style chicken curry in red chili spice, that is how it gets its color. It a curry of thin consistency with flavors of desiccated coconut which is slow roasted and ground to a fine paste along with its natural oil. The best combination with this curry is an aromatic short grain 'Ghee Rice'.


Serving Size: 4 to 5
Preparation time: 20 to 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Total time: 1 hour (approx)


Ingredients:

• 1 kilogram chicken
• 2 medium onions
• 2 small tomatoes
• 2 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 7 tbsp desiccated coconut (dry coconut powder)
• 1/2 chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt
• 5 tbsp cooking oil

For Red Spice (Dry roast & grind to a fine powder)

• 8 dry red chilies
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp whole coriander
• 2 tsp whole cumin
• 2 tsp fennel seeds (badi saunf)
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 5 cardamom 
• 5 cloves
• 2 inch stick of cinnamon

In case if you do not have whole red chilies, then add 2 tbsp of red chili powder to the red spice after grinding. ( according to your spice preference)

Preparation:

1. Wash and cut chicken pieces into small or medium size.
2. Make the red spice powder and keep ready
3. Finely chop onion, tomato and coriander leaves.
4. In a pan, dry roast desiccated coconut on slow flame till it changes into light golden color. Keep a close eye on it as the coconut burns very fast. So keep stirring constantly while roasting. Grind the roasted coconut powder to a fine paste till the oil appears on the surface.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and saute onion till soft and pink. Then add 2 tbsp of ginger & garlic paste and cook for 1 minute followed by chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes melt and are well combined.
2. Now add chicken pieces and stir well. Cook on high heat for few seconds. Add salt and turmeric powder. Cover and cook the chicken on slow flame till it is half done. (for 10 minutes)
3. Then add the red spice powder and the roasted coconut paste to the chicken. Also add 1 cup of water or as required, stir well and cook on low flame with the lid on for another 10 to 15 minutes or till the chicken is fully cooked. 
4. Finally add coriander leaves and lemon juice. Check the salt and adjust accordingly.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Step by step method