Varutharacha Kozhi Curry Recipe - How To Make Varutharacha Chicken Curry

Varutharacha kozhi curry is a traditional chicken recipe from Kerala and is popular among the Knanaya Christians of Kerala. This kottayam chicken curry is best served with Kerala appam or pidi (steamed rice dumplings). Pidi and kozhi curry is usually made for Christmas or Easter.

I will be posting the recipe of traditional Knanaya Christian's "kozhi pidi" next which is a bit different from the usual pidi recipes. The recipe is from my octogenarian aunt, Sunny; whom I always turn for traditional recipes and her recipes never fail.

Okay! back to varutharacha chicken curry...varutharacha means roasted and grinded...so here, the coconut is roasted and grinded and then added to the cooked chicken....thus you get the thick brown gravy.

I have made this recipe as simple and easy as possible; so that all the novice cooks and bachelors can give this traditional dish a try.

Video Recipe of Varutharacha Chicken Curry.

Other Recipes:
Kerala Appam Recipe
Kerala Chicken Stew
Kerala Chicken Curry

Varutharacha Kozhi Curry Recipe

PREP TIME: 10 mins    |  COOK TIME: 20 mins    |  AUTHOR:: NISA HOMEY

   

  INGREDIENTS

• Chicken: 750 gms
• Shallots/Cheriya Ulli: 10-12, sliced
• Green chilli: 1, slit
• Ginger: 1 inch, sliced thinly
• Garlic: 6 cloves, sliced thinly
• Curry Leaves: 2 sprigs
• Coriander Powder: 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder: 1 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1 tsp
• To Roast And Grind:
• Grated coconut: 1 cup
• Saunf/Perumjeerakam: 3/4 tbsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder: 1 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp
• Whole Peppercorns: 1/2 tbsp
• For Tempering:
• Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
• Shallots/Cheriya ulli: 3, sliced
• Kashmiri chilli: 3, broken
• Curry leaves: 1 sprig
• Salt: 1 1/2 tsp or as needed
• Water: 1/2 to 1 cup

  METHOD:

1. In a large kadai or pan, add in chicken, shallots, ginger, garlic, green chilli, Kashmiri chilli powder, Kerala garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves, and little water. Give it a nice mix and cover and cook the chicken.
2. In another pan add in grated coconut and on low - medium flame fry it until it start to get brown, add in Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Give this a mix and then add in saunf (perumjeerakam) and whole peppercorns. Stir it well and roast. Once it is roasted well switch off the flame and allow it to cool. Grind it to a fine paste.
3. Add the grinded and roasted coconut masala into the cooked chicken and mix well. Then add water and again mix well.
4. Once it starts to boil, simmer for 2 minutes.
5. For seasoning- Heat another pan with coconut oil, add in the mustard seeds, shallots, whole red chilies, and curry leaves. Once all this is lightly roasted.
6. Pour this over the chicken curry and cover with a lid.
7. Serve warm with appam or kozhi pidi.

NOTES

• While browning/frying coconut it is important to keep stirring otherwise, it might get burned and stick to the pan.
• Watch video recipe for more tips.

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