Coconut chicken fry
Try this Keralan chicken recipe as a quick and delicious alternative to curry.
Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
1 cinnamon stick
6 green cardamom pods, left whole
6 cloves, left whole
1 onion, finely sliced
12 curry leaves
3-4 whole green chillies
4cm/1½in piece ginger, cut into thin strips
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
750g/1½lb chicken joints, skin removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp garam masala
180g/6½oz freshly grated coconut
1-1½ tsp lemon juice
small handful chopped fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
Preparation method
-
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamom pods and cloves and fry for 20-30 seconds, or until the spices are fragrant.
-
Add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown.
-
Add the curry leaves, chillies, ginger and garlic, reduce the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic has softened.
-
Add the chicken joints and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Technique: Jointing chicken -
Add the garam masala and enough boiling water to reach halfway up the chicken pieces. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to a low heat and simmer the mixture for 10-12 minutes.
-
Remove the lid from the pan, turn the heat up to a high heat and boil off any excess liquid, stirring continuously.
-
Once the liquid has almost completely boiled away, add the grated coconut and the lemon juice and stir well. Cover the pan again and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken pieces are tender and completely cooked through.
-
Just before serving, stir in the chopped coriander.
