Jews from Cochin cook this dish regularly. It’s surprisingly simple to make, but filled with flavor. Serve it hot over rice or with chapati (whole-grain flatbread).
Reprinted with permission from “Bene Appetit: The Cuisine of Indian Jews” by Esther David. Copyright @Esther David 2021. Published by HarperCollins India, 2021.
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South Indian Coconut Chicken Curry
A flavorful chicken dish from the Jews of Cochin.
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4
Ingredients
Units
- 500 g chicken (thigh or breast) pieces
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 large onion, sliced into half moons
- 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 10 curry leaves
- 2 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 ½ cups water
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Wash chicken pieces and set them aside.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add onions and fry until they turn brown.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves and green chilies, stir and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the chicken pieces, coconut milk, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, salt and water and cook on a low heat until the chicken is tender.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Holiday
I’m going to make this replacing chicken with crisped tofu xoxo
Oops read milk instead of coconut milkreggue
Am I seeing black sesame seeds? Is this dish very spicy? If so, how do I turn down the heat to medium? Thanks!
This dish is delicious. I halved the recipe to serve for two. The sauce initially tastes sweet and finishes with a delightful bite from the chili pepper. The only thing I would say is that the ginger and garlic paste are not included in the steps. I added them with the coconut milk, etc. Just before serving, I’ll add the cod and cook it in the sauce.
How could I make this mild? Thanks!
Just use less chillies/be sure to remove the seeds and white membrane they’re attached to — that’s where the spice is.
Can I use ginger and garlic in place of the paste? If not, how can I make that?
Does this mean cayenne powder or chili seasoning?
You can use fresh garlic and ginger in a 60:40 ratio, respectively. If you’re like to make your own, blend fresh garlic and ginger together with a little water to make a paste. Cayenne powder works for the chili.