Indian Style Chicken Stew

          India is the land of curries. There are thousands of curries and various adaptations of the same curry. Each region and each family have their own version. It might be surprising to know you wouldn’t catch a cook in India using Madras curry powder. It simply doesn’t exist in India. What we have are masala powders, similar to a curry powder, each designed for a different curry. Masala powders can be a combination of roasted or unroasted spices depending on the curry one is making. It can also be a freshly ground spice paste.

         Coconut paste, freshly grated coconut and coconut milk are commonly added in Southern curries. They are much lighter.

         Not all curries are full of sauce. We do have a lot of dry curries too.

Indian style chicken stew is a delicious curry that is very popular in Kerala, a Southern state in India. It is mildly spicy. Lamb or egg can be substituted for chicken. A vegetarian version can be made with carrots, green beans, potatoes, peas and cauliflower.

        This curry can be served with steamed rice but it is excellent with parathas and flatbreads. It is popularly served with Idiyappam (string hoppers) and appam (hoppers).

Roast the spices

Grind into a fine paste using some water

Fry onions until golden brown

Add grond masala and fry until the raw flavor is gone.

Add tomatoes and fry until they turn mushy.

Add chicken, mix well and cook.

Add coconut milk, mix, cook for a few minutes.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast 8 tenderloins, cut into pieces
Sliced onion 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes 2
Coconut milk 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil 3 tbsps
Turmeric powder 1/8th tsp

To grind into a paste:
Garlic cloves 8
Chopped ginger 2 tbsps
Cilantro stalks 10
Green chili 1 or to taste
Cardamom pods 4
Cloves 4
Cinnamon stick 1.5" piece
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Poppy seeds 1/4

Dry roast  the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and poppy seeds until you get a nice aroma. Cool them and grind the spices along with ginger, garlic, green chili and cilantro with a little water. You need a fine paste.
Heat 3 tbsps of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the onions and fry them until they turn golden brown. Add the ground paste to the onions and fry it until the raw flavor is gone. You can add a few tablespoons of water while the paste is frying to prevent sticking and burning. Now add the turmeric powder and tomatoes. Add salt to taste.Cover and cook the mixture until the tomatoes turn mushy. Add the chicken and mix well. Add a few tablespoons of water and cook the chicken until its done. Now add the coconut milk and cook for just three to four minutes.
Serve the stew with rice, flatbread, Appam or Idiyappam.

For a video version of this recipe visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xzng4EdZn8&t=311s