Chicken mappas (chicken curry in coconut milk) Step-by-step method.

Mappas is a traditional Syrian Christian curry cooked entirely in coconut milk....

fish mappas, vegetable mappas, vendakka (okra) mappas, egg mappas, mutton mappas, duck mappas.....every thing has the same basic ingredients except in fish mappas where gram masala and potatoes are not added. Fish mappas and pottu is one of my favorite combination...the flavor and taste of this curry depend entirely on fresh coconut milk ....I have also made with coconut milk mix.....still I favor the former. Vinegar is also very important in this curry....so do not omit that. This curry is a must during Christmas and Easter celebration and at weddings.

Everyone has different tastes, some prepare  mappas without the red chilly powder, they add more of green chilies, but I like the red chilly version.....and if you are in a place where you dont get any kind of coconut milk mix or coconuts then dont lose heart substitute with milk....pure whole milk.

While adding tomato it need not be fried until the oil comes out....just mix and saute for a min or two....always reserve 1 tomato to add after the 1st milk is added...just slice tomato and put them on top of the curry and give it a simmer.

Recipe source: My Amma.

Ingredients:
Chicken: 1/kg, cleaned and cut into small pieces.
Potatoes: 2, cubed.
Onion: 2, sliced.
Green chilies: 2 or 3, slit.
Tomato: 2.
Ginger: 1 inch.
Garlic: 4or 5 cloves.
Red chilly: 1 tsp.
Coriander powder: 2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 to 3/4 tsp.
Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric: A fat pinch.
Vinegar: 1tsp.
Oil: Coconut oil or refined oil
Curry leaves.
Salt to taste.

Coconut: 1/2 coconut grated or scraped.
1 cup thin milk.
1/2 cup thick milk

How to make coconut milk:
Put the scraped coconut in a little warm water and put in the mixer and give it a grind. Then put it into a strainer and squeeze the coconut and strain. This is the 1st milk which is thick. Pour around 1 cup of  water and mix well with the strained coconut and again squeeze and strain it..this is the 2nd milk.

For the seasoning:
Cloves: 3 or 4.
Peppercorns: 3 or 4.
Cinnamon: 1 small stick.
Cardamom: 3 or 4.

Method
1. Heat a kadai and pour little coconut oil in it. Put in cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom and let it splutter.

2. Put in sliced onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, salt, curry leaves and saute for sometime on low flame.

3. Saute till it transparent and a little browned. Add the vinegar.

4. Put in red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, pepper powder, and turmeric powder and let it fry for a minute or until the raw smell goes.

5. Put in 1 chopped tomato (reserve the other for later use) and fry for a min or two.

6. Oil need not come out in this curry just mix the tomatoes well for a min or two.

7. Pour the 1st milk or thin milk into it and mix well.

8. Put in the chicken pieces and the cubed potatoes.

9.Cover it with a lid and cook for 10 to 15 min. After the chicken is cooked open lid and let it simmer for sometime and add the thick coconut milk (1st milk) and let it simmer and lavish curry leaves on top.

10. Cut the reserved tomato and put it on top of it and simmer for another min or two and it is ready to serve. Because of the coconut milk the gravy tends to thicken on its own.

11. Serve it hot with kallappam, pallappam, roti, bread etc.