Poultry Recipes - Spicy Kerala Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, cut into 12

• 10 ml/2 tsp ground turmeric

• salt

• 150 ml/1/4 pt/2/3 cup natural (plain) yoghurt

• 225 g/8oz/2 cups grated (shredded) coconut

• 250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup coconut milk

• 45 ml/3 tbsp oil

• 10 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2.5 cm/1 in ginger root, chopped

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp black peppercorns

• 5 ml/1 tsp aniseeds

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 10 cloves

• 5 m/1 tsp coriander (cilantro) seeds

• 10 ml/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 onion, chopped

• 5 dried red chilies, soaked in hot water

• 2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped

• 750 ml/1 1/4 pts/3 cups water

---

Method:

1. Place the chicken in a bowl and rub in the turmeric, salt and yoghurt. Leave to marinate. Soak the coconut in the coconut milk.

2. Heat 15 ml/1 tbsp of oil and fry the garlic, ginger, peppercorns, aniseeds, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and cumin for 1 minute. Grind with 45 ml/3 tbsp of the coconut mixture.

3. Heat the remaining oil and fry the onion until lightly browned. Add the pureed mixture, chilies and tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes, stirring.

4. Add the remaining coconut mixture, cover and bring to the boil. Gradually stir in the water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender.