Ingredients
1. Chicken – Around 1.5 – 2 kg, cut into medium pieces
2. Onion – 2 medium-large, roughly chopped
Ginger – 1.5 inch, roughly chopped
Garlic – 8 cloves, roughly chopped
Green chilies – 6
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
3. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tbsp ( I used 1 tsp cayenne chilly powder and 2.5 tsp kashmiri chilly powder)
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 2.5 tsp (Click here for the recipe)
4. Tomato – 2 medium-small, chopped
Salt – To taste
5. Coconut oil – 3 – 4 tbsp or as required
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilies – 2, broken
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Method
1. Grind the ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves to a coarse mixture in the small jar of a mixer and then transfer to a small bowl. Now grind the roughly chopped onion to a coarse mixture, in 1 or 2 batches. (Onion paste will turn very bitter, if left outside for a long time so use it immediately after grinding.)
2. Heat 3 – 4 tbsp coconut oil in a pressure-cooker or a deep pan at medium-high heat. Add the ground ingredients numbered 2, enough salt and saute well until golden brown (take care not to burn). It will take at least 30 – 40 minutes (I did this step in a non-stick pan in order to minimize the use of oil). Bring down the flame to low.
3. Add the spice powders numbered 3. Saute for about 5 – 6 minutes or until their raw smell leaves (take care not to burn the powders, you can sprinkle a little water in order to prevent them from burning). Add chopped tomato pieces. Saute really well until tomato gets mashed up completely and oil separates.
4. Add 1/4 cup hot water. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces, enough salt and mix everything well so that the chicken gets well-coated with the gravy. Add 1/2 cup hot water. Close with the pressure cooker lid (you can use a regular vessel instead). Pressure-cook for 1 whistle. Switch off the flame. Set aside for 10 – 15 minutes or until the pressure releases. Open the pressure-cooker. Check for salt and adjust. The curry will have a thick gravy, if its very thick, add 1/2 cup hot water, bring to a boil and cook for a few more minutes. You can either add 1 tsp coconut oil now or season it with mustards, dry red chilies and fried pearl onions instead.
5. Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies and curry leaves. Pour over the prepared curry. Close with a lid for 10 minutes. Open and mix well. Serve with rice, Kerala porotta, chapathis, idiyappam, appam, puttu etc.
Tips
1. This is an easy peasy recipe where we can avoid the marination and slow-cooking – everything can be done in the pressure cooker. This curry is perfect for making yummy Kerala style chicken biriyani. Add chopped mint leaves once the curry is done (no need to season it with mustards and dry red chilies). Use 4 cups of basmati rice for 1.5 – 2 kg chicken. Prepare the rice and layer the biriyani as explained in this biriyani recipe.
2. I did the first 3 steps in a non-stick pan in order to minimize the usage of coconut oil. You might have to add extra oil in between to prevent the onion mixture from sticking, if you are using a pressure cooker.
3. For an extra taste, you can add 1/4 – 1/2 cup thick coconut milk or 2 tbsp cashew paste (soak 8 – 10 cashews in warm water for an hour, grind with little water in the small jar of a mixie) , once the curry is done. Cook for a few minutes at low heat and switch off.
4. Ground onion will taste bitter, if left outside for a long time. So try to use it immediately after grinding.
looks very tempting n delicious…
Droolworthy curry,makes me drool.
Drooling here!!! Delicious…
Delicious and mouthwatering curry. Excellent preparation.
Deepa
I’m literally mouth watering..Finger licking dish..Will try for sure:)
luckysskitchen.blogspot.in
perfectly done n beautiful luking dish
BTW Iam back to blogging n im ur new follwer too.PLZ visit my space if gets sum time n plz check out my new FB page dear..Hope u vl clik on like on FB page dear.Thanx in advance…
Maha
Perfect recipe! I made this during the weekend, and it was just great! I add few coconut slices also, as I like it along with the chicken. Frying the onion paste took a long time, as you have written, like 30 mins, so I was just wondering, if there is an easy way to it, like microwave it (the onion paste) and then stirring it in between? Just a thought. Since kids gets so impatient when mom is near the stove for a long time..! 🙂 Love all your recipes. I have given a good publicity to your site…
Manju,
Thanks a ton for your feedback and for promoting our blog 🙂 Great to know that you enjoyed this dish.. I also love coconut slices in nadan chicken curry. This is my Mom’s recipe and she usually makes this for biriyani, thats why I haven’t mentioned coconut slices in the recipe.
Regarding your question, I dont know of any easy method of frying the onion paste. Microwaving sounds like a good idea. Maybe you can give it a try next time..
I am going to try this out. I have tried “Varutharacha kadala curry” from you blog and it came out excellent. The taste was very similar to the thattukadas in Trivandrum, where I come from. I have been trying so long to get that taste with kadala curry but never succeeded. Thank you Maya for sharing all these wonderful recipes.
Today I tried this recipe.Me & my husband liked it very much.I also tried “inji puli” & “pineapple pachadi from your blog & came out well.Thank you very much Maya…
@ Tina and Pinki,
Thanks a lot for taking time to write your comments. Really happy to know that you both enjoyed our recipes. Please keep visiting..
I followed your recipe and the result was an absolutely delicious chicken curry!!!! everyone in my family loved it…thanks a ton:)
You’re welcome, Sarika 🙂 Great to know that you enjoyed this dish. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi,
I tried out your egg curry with potatoes a couple of months ago when i was desperately searching online for good kerala recipes. My husband loved the dish and ever since i’ve tried numerous recipes from your blog and they’ve all been just yummy! I still refer to your blog for my day to day cooking recipes. A BIG thankyou! Trying out this recipe today. And i am sure it’ll be as yummy as the previous ones!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Aparna. Really great to know that you love our recipes. Hope you enjoyed this nadan kozhi curry too..Please keep visiting!
Thanks Maya for ur recipes, I love them. I have tried several of ur recipes and all have come out well. Yesterday cooked nadan kozhi curry for my guests and everyone loved it!
There is one shortcut that I did, I microwaved the grounded onions for 3 minutes in a plate ( my father’s tip) before frying it with other ground ingredients in no. 2. This reduced the frying time to 15 min.
Cheers
Nisha.
Thanks a lot for your comment, Nisha! Really happy to know that everybody enjoyed this nadan kozhi curry. Thanks for the great tip too.Will keep it in my mind when i make this recipe next time.
This dish is simply superb, I was waiting for a nadan chicken curry reciepe for long time.
Right now I on it..with Kappa puzhukku…… Yummy O Yummy
Thanks for your feedback, Dileep! Great to know that you enjoyed this dish…Kappa puzhukku sounds like a great combo for this curry..Yum!
super curry…… by seeing water is flowing my mouth………………… 🙂
Made it and it was perfect! Such an easy recipe too!
excellent recipe
it is very simplen easy way of making chicken curry..tried n superb..thank u..
Thanks for trying and letting me know your feedback, Chithira 🙂
Tried this recipe came out really nice & spicy. This despite reducing the green chiilies from 6 to 4 numbers and also the quantity of red chilly ( 1 tsp each of chilly powder mix). Thanks.
I made biriyani with this curry and it came out soo good. thanks a lot..!
You’re welcome! Great to know that you enjoyed it..