Varutharacha Kozhicurry

Kerala's own cuisine - Varutharacha kozhi curry is a traditional chicken curry with  roasted coconut. Again different variants are there but this is how my Amma cooks it. It is time consuming, becoz of roasting and grinding, but lets make it easy by using our microwave and grinder. I am trying the easiest way to get the authentic taste. It can be served with ghee rice, chapati, boiled rice, kerala paratha, appam, idiyappam etc
Preparation time- 45 mins

Ingredients

Chicken- 500 gm cut into medium pieces
Onion- 3 nos sliced
*Tomato- 2 nos sliced
Coconut- 1 heaped cup grated
Red chilly powder-1/2 tbsp
*Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Coconut oil- 3 tbsp
Curry leaves- 2 strands
*Red chilly paste- 1 tbsp
Shallots or baby onion- 10 nos big
Salt to taste
*Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilly- 1 nos
Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
*Black Pepper- 1 tsp
*Cinnamon- 1/2 inch
*Cardamom- 4 nos
*Cloves- 6 nos
*Anise- 1 no
Water- 2 cups or as required

Method
Roast coconut and shallots till the coconut turns golden brown. Add 1 tbsp of red chilly paste and remove from flame.
Allow it cool. Grind it into a smooth paste with minimal water.( Tip:- Before roasting keep the coconut in microwave for 5 mins, you can save some roasting time!!!!)
Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil in a pressure cooker. Add whole spices and roast.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute. Meanwhile you can keep sliced onions in microwave for few mins to reduce sauteing time. Once the shallots turns golden brown add onions. Once onions turns golden brown add all the masalas & roast them.
Add tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become mushy. Add 1 cup water and chicken pieces. Once water boils, close the lid & pressure cook till one whistle. Wait till its cool & open.
 Add coconut paste and stir. Keep it on a low flame
Heat Coconut oil in a pan and add Mustard seeds. Once they pop, add Red chilly and curry leaves.
Once the gravy starts boiling add tempering and remove from flame. Serve it with Indian rice or flat breads.

 PS:-
  • Instead of coriander powder you can roast 1 tbsp of coriander seeds with grated coconut.
  • Instead of red chilly paste you can roast & grind three red chillys along with grated coconut.
  • *- optional ingredients or ingredients that can be replaced as mentioned above
  • Instead of ginger garlic paste use 1 tbsp of chopped ginger and garlic each.
  • You can totally avoid whole spices and tomatoes if you don,t like.