Kozhi Varuth Aracha Curry - Chicken Toasted and Ground Curry

"Varuth Aracha"  or "Toasted and Ground" - is a term you will hear quite often in Kerala cuisine. And once you are hooked to toasted and ground, you will keep coming back for more, I can guarantee you that!

What is being toasted and ground is coconut, of course - which is the major ingredient in most Kerala dishes.  The smell of toasted and ground coconut is enough to get your whole street talking and your taste buds into overdrive.  You must try this at least one time.

There are lots of toasted and ground coconut curries.  The main rule to remember is that when this is incorporated in a meat dish, you do not add tamarind.  But the same dish when you bring fish or vegetables into the equation, it calls for tamarind.

Tonight we had it with chicken - or kozhi.  Normally I would buy a whole chicken less than 2 kilos, with the liver, giblets, neck - and make the curry with the whole chicken. Because of COVID we have not been out for a long time and drumettes were the only pieces available at our local butcher, so we had to make do with that.  This sauce is flavoursome and luscious without being too rich and it is perfect for cool Spring/Autumn nights.

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 kilos of chicken pieces, cleaned

2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped to big 2 inch chunks (optional)

1 tomato, sliced

1 green chilli, slit

2 onions, sliced

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tablespoon oil

salt to taste

To toast:

3-4 heaped tablespoons of desiccated coconut

1/4 onion sliced thinly (you can use shallots - a handful, instead)

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

2-3 cloves

1 inch piece cinnamon

1 tablespoon coriander seeds **

3-4 dry red chillies, torn **

1/2 tablespoon black poppy seeds (optional)

1/2 a star anise

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

5-6 cashew nuts ( optional)

1 sprig curry leaves

** You can use 1 teaspoon chilli powder and 2 teaspoons coriander powder.

I happened to have whole spices and I used them

Note:  You can always add more chillies if you want or reduce the number.  This is the number I make the curry with and it is just a guide. I think my curries are medium hot.


Method:

In a thick bottomed pan, add all ingredients to toast and gently fry stirring constantly till the coconut turns a deep golden brown.  This step takes a while, but if you increase the flame the coconut and spices will get burnt.  You do not need oil because the coconut will release oil and that is all you need to get the ingredients crisp.

Once the mix has cooled, place in a blender and grind to a fine paste with very little water.  This is your toasted and ground spice mix for the chicken curry.

In a wide pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the onions, sauté till they become golden brown.  Add the ginger garlic paste and green chilli and fry till you can no longer smell the raw ginger garlic smell.  Next add the tomatoes and curry leaves and fry for a minute.

Add the chicken pieces and turmeric and mix well.  After a couple of minutes, add the curry leaves and the toasted, ground spice mix.  Mix well. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water and the potatoes.  Add a teaspoon of salt.

Place the lid on the pan and let it cook for 20 minutes or so.  

After 20 minutes, check for salt and adjust if needed.  Cook for another 10 minutes and garnish with a few more curry leaves.  The oil from the skin of the chicken will float on top of the curry like this picture - and you know that it is now ready to eat.

This curry goes well with rice, chappaties or any Indian bread or roti.

Serve hot.