Chicken in coconut milk

 Chicken cooked in coconut milk is a delicacy because of the luxuriating effect of coconut milk on the palate. It's almost a celestial dish because it also has a tomato onion base. In malayalam, this specialty is called kozhi thengapalil vattichathu. It means that the chicken is cooked in coconut broth until all the water evaporates and all the masala sticks to the tender chicken chunks. So there will no liquid part of the curry remaining. It's almost dry, but with a soft texture. The miracle of coconut milk is that you need just add a little, mix and cook covered. It takes care of the rest. I have also noticed that the amount of salt to be added is marginally reduced. 

The elements of the ethereal dish are..

Chicken, boneless - 500g

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Pepper, freshly ground - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Olive oil, extra virgin - 1 Tbsp

Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 2 medium

Green chili - 1/2

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 6 or 7 cloves

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Kashmiri chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Tomato - 2 small

Celery - 1 stalk with leaves

Coconut milk, thick - 2 Tbsp

The approach to arrive at the exquisite chicken ashet...

Chop chicken into 1 inch bits. Clean well. Marinate with turmeric powder, pepper and salt. Refrigerate overnight.

Slice onion into thin pieces. Mince chili, ginger and garlic. Chop tomato and celery roughly. Heat a deep bottomed saucepan with oil. Add carom seeds. After a few seconds, add onion, chili, ginger and garlic. Sautee for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions become soft. Add spice powders and salt. Stir for 2 minutes and then add tomato. Toss around for a few minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool. Grind to a very rough paste. Place the saucepan on heat. Add marinated chicken, celery and ground masala. 

Stir for a few minutes. Add coconut milk and cook covered for 20 minutes, stirring often in between. Check if the chicken is cooked by trying to gently slice a segment. If it cuts through easily, the chicken has become tender. Cook for another 10 minutes without the lid. The gravy will stick to the chicken bits.

Let the curry stimulate your innermost senses when combined with steaming red rice!