Coorgi Koli Curry - Coorgi style Chicken Curry

Recently the whole family had a vacation time as my son’s school was closed. We went to picturesque hill station Coorg and enjoyed the cool weather and wonderful views of mountains and waterfall.

Here we went to a hotel which is famous for a local cuisine called Coorgi Chicken curry.

That was some new experience for me. Though it was a spicy preparation all of us enjoyed it.

The magic was to add Kachampuli which is a thick vinegar made from a local fruit called Garcinia gummi gutta. It is very sour but has a fruity taste. Every Coorgi cuisine has this ingredient. We somehow managed the recipe for the chicken curry and did some customization to suit Bengali taste. Here is the preparation I made in my kitchen. Hope you all would enjoy this dish. It was a little cumbersome to create the ideal spice mix but the effort is worth the taste.

Preparation Time: - 25 min

Cooking Time: - 30 min

Servings: - 3~4 persons

Ingredients:-

1. 500 gm. Chicken with bones ( This preparation tastes better with bones rather than boneless one)
2. 1 tsp Red Chili Powder ( I used Kashmiri Red Chili for making it little mild but you can put as per your taste )
3. ½ tsp Kachampuli ( Coorgi Vinegar ) or 1 tsp tamarind extract ( I used ready made tamarind paste)
4. 1 cup chopped onion
5. ½  tsp Fenugreek seeds
6. ½  tsp Black Mustard seeds
7. 4 Green Chili silted horizontally (you can use additional whole red chilli also according to your preference)
8. 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
9. 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
10. Salt to taste.
11. Few curry leaves
12. Few Coriander leaves for garnish

For masala / spice mixture:-

1. 1 tsp Coriander seeds

2.  1 tsp Cumin seeds
3.  2 inch piece of Cinnamon
4.  4 cloves
5.  1 tsp Poppy seeds roasted
6.  1 tsp chopped garlic
7.  1 tsp chopped Ginger
8.  1 tsp Black pepper corns
9.  1 cup fresh / frozen Coconut cut into small pieces or grated
   

Preparation:-

1. Wash the chicken thoroughly and rub the chicken pieces with red chili powder, salt and turmeric powder. Marinate for ½ hour.
   
2. Chop the onion, garlic and ginger
3. Dry roast the poppy seeds in a tawa.
4. Grate the fresh coconut and keep aside. 
5. Now we prepare the masala / spice paste by grinding together the following:-Coriander powder, cumin powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, garlic, one green chili, roasted poppy seeds, grated coconut and black pepper corns.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan /kadai
7. Add fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds
   
8. When the spices spluttered add few curry leaves and one green chili silted.
   
9. Wait for few seconds and add chopped onion.
   
10. Sauté for few minutes till the onion turns golden brown.
11. Add the marinated chicken and mix well for 2 minutes.
    
12. Now pour the fresh masala paste and stir so that the chicken becomes coated with the masala uniformly.
    
13. Cook till the raw smell of the spices goes away and the chicken becomes little fried. Observe that the colour of the chicken changes.
14. Add salt, stir and mix all well.
    
15. Add a cup of warm water and continue cooking. Warm water is going to enhance taste.
    
16. Cover and cook in low flame till the chicken is properly done and the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.
17. Now pour the Kachampuli or tamarind extract. Bring it to boil again and cook for a minute or so.
    
18. Put the burner off and put a green chili for garnishing. 
    

Serve this side dish with hot steamed rice/ Jeera Rice/ Peas Pulav/ Coconut rice or Roti/Appam/ Idiyappam.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.