Ingredients
Chicken - 1 pounds
Onion - 1 big finely chopped
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 finely chopped
Ginger - 1" piece chopped finely
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves finely chopped
Whole dried red chilli - 4 (or less ,add according to your spice level)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon (optional,only if extra spice needed)
Whole coriander seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Shallot - 5
Coconut Sliced to bits / thenga kothu - 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves - 1 stalk
mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoons
pepper corns - 1/4 teaspoons
Coconut oil .
Salt
Method
Clean chicken , wash remove skin and excess fat and keep aside. I used chicken breasts, but whole chicken with bone will be more tastier in this kind of preparation. Heat oil in a pan fry coconut pieces/thenga kothu until golden brown.
In a pan heat 1 teaspoon oil . Add sliced shallots and few curry leaves (about 4 to 5 leaves will be enough), to this add chopped ginger garlic, saute till everything becomes cooked now add whole dried red chilli, whole corriander seeds, fennel seeds fry every thing well . Now add grated coconut, roast till coconut turns golden brown. Add few tablespoons of water and grind it to a thick smooth paste. Keep aside.
Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pot. Add mustard seeds, once it splutter add rest of the curry leaves, pepper corns. fry well. Now add finely chopped onion ,saute till its translucent. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add chopped tomato. Saute for few minutes until tomato becomes mushy.
Now add ground coconut paste and cleaned chicken pieces.Mix everything well. And 1/3 cup of water to this, give everything a stir (chicken will also ooze out water ,so 1/3 cup of water will be enough,if you need the curry to be more watery add more water ). Check salt and spice. If needed add more salt and chilly powder.
Cover and cook on medium flame until chicken gets cooked well and oil starts separating from the sides of the pot. If you think your curry is too watery open lid and cook on low flame for few more minutes until you get the required consistency. This curry has a thick consistency. Add fried coconut pieces on top of the gravy.
