Kozhi Chukka | Chicken Korumban | Kerala Chicken Starter | New Year Party Special

Visiting restaurants for New Year parties could be extremely disappointing most of the times as a sea of people flock eating places which might lead to quality compromise by the hotel staff. Keeping this in mind, we bring before you a simple, easy-to-make chicken starter recipe which is sure to tingle your taste buds – Kozhi Chukka or Chicken Korumban – a spicy chicken starter from the state of Kerala. ‘Korumban’ literally translates to ‘mushy’ in Malyalam, and hence the chicken pieces are cooked in a mushy mixture of spiced onion and tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• ½ kg Chicken

• 5 medium Onions chopped lengthwise

• 3 Medium Chopped Tomatoes

• 5 Dry Red Chillies

• Few Curry Leaves

• ½ Lemon

• 1 & ½ tsp Fennel Seeds

• 5 tbsp Red Chilli Powder

• 1 & tsp Turmeric

• 1 tsp Garam Masala

• 10 tbsp Ghee

• 1 tsp Chicken Masala (Everest or any other brand)

• 2 tbsp Chopped Coconut

• 10 Cashew Nuts

• 2 tsp Ginger Paste

• 3 tsp Finely Chopped Garlic

• 1 tsp Sugar (Optional)

• Salt to taste

Method:

Marination:

• Wash the chicken thoroughly twice in water.

• To this chicken, add 2 tsp ginger paste, half lemon juice, 2 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp Everest Chicken Masala and salt as per taste.

• Mix everything well and let the chicken marinade rest for 30 mins in the refrigerator. (You can also keep the chicken marinade overnight.)

Cooking the Chicken:

• Heat a wok/ kadai on a high flame and add Ghee.

• After the Ghee becomes hot, bring down the flame to medium and add curry leaves, dry red chillies, chopped garlic and sliced onions and saute.

• When onions start changing colour, add the cashew nuts and saute.

• To fasten cooking process, add ½ tsp salt, also add 1 tsp sugar.

• Once the onions become golden in colour, add the coconut pieces and mix well.

• Add the tomatoes and stir well.

• Once tomatoes start leaving water, add the fennel seeds, 1tsp turmeric and 3 tsp red chilli powder, mix well and cook till the tomatoes become soft.

• Add little to water to deglaze the pan if necessary.

• Now add the chicken marinade, mix well and saute till the chicken completely coats all the spice mixture.

•  Now add 1 tsp Garam Masala and mix well.

• Place a lid on the pan, lower the flame and let it cook for 25-30 mins.

• To fasten the cooking process, pour little boiling water on the lid.

• After 20 mins, check on the chicken by inserting a fork – if the fork passes through the chicken without apply too much force means the chicken is cooked completely.

• Cook further for 5-10 mins to evaporate all the water from the Chukka.

• Serve the Chukka along with drinks of your choice.

Happy New Year J