Varutharacha chicken curry is one of the authentic Indian chicken curry recipes from the Southern state of Kerala. Made with aromatic roasted spices and coconut, this easy varutha kozhi curry might soon become your next favorite curry.
Clean and chop 850 grams of chicken into 2-inch pieces.
Add 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the chicken and mix well.
Let it marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes. (note 7)
Roast and blend
Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan or cooking pot.
Add 2 dried red chilies, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 1-inch piece of cinnamon, 2 cardamoms, and 2 cloves.
Add 1 diced onion (or pearl onions) and 3 diced cloves of garlic. Roast until the onions turn translucent.
Add 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Roast for a couple of minutes.
Add 1 cup of grated coconut. Roast on low flame until the coconut is well-browned.
Cool the mixture. Add ½ cup of water and blend it until you get a smooth consistency.
Make varutharacha chicken curry
Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a deep pot. Saute 2 finely diced onions until they turn translucent.
Add 2 teaspoons of ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a couple of minutes.
Finely chop a large tomato. Add to pan and saute until the tomatoes are cooked to a mashed consistency.
Add the marinated chicken and saute on medium-high flame for about 5 minutes. Fry until the chicken turns partially white.
Add 1 cup of water. Cook on high heat and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat, cover the pot and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes.
Add the blended coconut paste and mix well to dissolve lumps. Cover the curry and simmer for 5 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and curry leaves. Remove from heat and serve.
Notes
Chicken: You can use thighs, drumsticks, breasts or a mix. I prefer bone-in chicken pieces for this recipe. Bones add more flavor to the curry and keep the chicken juicy. Chop them into bite-sized pieces. (If using drumsticks or thighs with large bones, increase the cooking time by 10 or 15 minutes.)
Coconut: This is the second most important ingredient in this recipe. I recommend freshly grated coconut (or fresh coconut meat in any other form, like chunks or flakes). If only the frozen form is available, thaw it completely before using. Coconut cream or milk is not suitable for this recipe.
Onions: You can replace the onion (for roasting with coconut) with 5 or 6 pearl onions.
Ginger-garlic paste: If you’re not used to making the paste at home, use grated ginger and garlic.
Whole spices: If you don’t have them, you can use store-bought ground spices. Or replace them with 1 teaspoon garam masala and ½ teaspoon pepper. There will be a slight change in flavor, though. Add them after roasting the coconut.
Coconut oil: It gives authentic Kerala flavor to the curry. However, if unavailable, you can substitute it with sunflower oil or olive oil.
Marinating time: If time permits, marinate the chicken longer. Marinating overnight gives the best results.