Kodi Koora
South Indian Style Chicken Curry
For 4 people
● 1kg chicken breast
● 250g red onion
● 250g chopped tomatoes
● 1 tsp tamarind paste
● 1 stem, fresh curry leaf
● ½ tsp chili powder
● ¼ tsp turmeric powder
● ½ tsp curry powder
● ½ tsp garam masala powder
● 20g fresh garlic & ginger, chopped
● 30g ginger & garlic paste
● 1 tsp cumin seeds
● 1 tsp coriander seeds
● 1 tsp mustard seeds
● 10g coriander leaf fresh
● 40g Oil
● salt to taste
Marinate chicken with 20g of oil, ginger & garlic paste, salt, curry powder chili powder, garam masala powder, turmeric and tamarind paste.
Tip: Marinate day before. And don’t cook from fridge to pan. Allow 1-2 hours for meat to come to room temperature before you cook. Method:
Heat 20g of oil in a dry pan, allow 10 seconds to heat the oil, then fry fresh curry leaf, chopped ginger & garlic, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds. Once spices crackle, add chopped onion, allow onions to brown and add chopped tomato and put the lid on. Stir and cook until tomatoes and onions take on a very soft, paste texture.
Tip: Do not add powder spices to heated oil. Powder spices will burn out in hot oil and generate a bitter taste.
Add chopped tomatoes, stir in and cook for five minutes. Add marinated chicken, cook for 20 minutes on a slow heat. Add coriander leaf as garnish.
Tip: Do not peel skin off ginger. The oil under the skin is a natural preservative and helps marinate the meat better by breaking down its fibres.