Thalassery Style Erachi Choru (With Chicken) / Kozhi Choru

Ingredients (Serves 4 – 5)

1. Kaima Rice – 2 cups

2. Chicken, bone-in – 3/4 – 1 kg, cut into medium pieces

3. Oil – 3 – 4 tbsp

4. Whole spices -Bay leaf – 1 – 2, whole black pepper – 1/2 tsp, cloves – 5, cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, green cardamom – 5, fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp, kala jeera -1/2 tsp

5. Onion – 2 medium, thinly sliced

6. Crushed ginger-garlic-green chili – 2.5 tbsp

7. Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp

Kashmiri chili powder – 1 tbsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp

8. Tomato – 2 medium small, sliced

9. Garam masala powder – 2 tsp

10. Cilantro, chopped – 2 tbsp

Mint, chopped – 2 tbsp

11. Hot water – 3 cups

12 Lemon juice –  2 – 3 tsp

Ghee – 1 – 2 tsp

Cilantro and mint, chopped – 2 tbsp each, chopped

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

13. Salt – To taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add add whole spices. Cook for 20 seconds till fragrant. Add sliced onion, little salt and cook till translucent. Add crushed ginger-garlic and green chilies. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes over low heat until their raw smell completely disappears and onion turns light golden. Add sliced tomato, little salt and cook for a few minutes over medium heat till it gets mashed up. Add chicken pieces. Mix well and cook for 5 – 6 minutes. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes till chicken is mostly done. Add chopped mint and cilantro. Mix well.
   2. Meanwhile rinse the kaima rice and soak in enough water for 20 minutes.
   3. Remove most of the chicken pieces from the curry (leaving a few pieces in the pan).Measure the gravy. I had around  3/4 cup  gravy. For 2 cup jeera samba rice, you’ll need 4 cups of water ie 2 cups of water for 1 cup of kaima rice. Some varieties of kaima rice may need only 1.5 cup water for 1 cup rice ).  So add the remaining 3 1/4 cup hot water to the pot. Bring to a boil.
   Taste-check for salt. It should taste slightly salty.  Add soaked and drained kaima rice and mix gently. Cover and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Bring down the flame to low. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until most of the moisture is absorbed. Open the lid. Mix everything gently so the rice won’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken pieces , little ghee, chopped mint and cilantro. Mix gently. Cover the biriyani pot with an aluminum foil or clean cloth and then with lid. Keep the biriyani pot on a heated tawa. Cook over low heat for 8 – 10 minutes. Switch off the flame. Let rest for 20 minutes. Open the lid and mix gently. Keep covered for 5 inutes. Serve with green chutney, pappadam and pickle. Enjoy!!