FOWL CURRY IN COCONUT GRAVY

FOWL CURRY IN COCONUT GRAVY

(This is an old Anglo-Indian dish. In the olden days this dish called for country fowls and was cooked in a thick coconut gravy. It was left to simmer for many hours over a firewood oven. However, I have simplified the recipe and one could use any tender chicken instead of the country fowl).

Serves 6   Preparation time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces (either broiler or country chicken)        

3 onions chopped finely

2 large tomatoes chopped                                 

2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste

1 teaspoon coriander powder                             

1 teaspoon turmeric powder                                

½ cup grated coconut

2 small pieces cinnamon bark

3 cloves

2 cardamoms

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves              

2 teaspoons chopped mint leaves

3 tablespoons oil                                                 

2 teaspoons chilly powder

2 tablespoons curds

2 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters 

Grind the coconut, cinamon, cloves, cardamom and half the onions to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the remaining onions till golden brown. Add the ground paste and fry for about 5 minutes on low heat. Add the chillie powder, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder and tomatoes and keep frying till the tomatoes are reduced to pulp. Now add the chicken and curds and mix well. Add salt, mint and coriander leaves, potatoes and 2 or 3 cups of water and simmer till the chicken is cooked and gravy is thick.  Serve hot with rice or chapattis.