Roasted Coconut Chicken Curry (Varutharacha Kozhi Curry)

Overview
This is a very traditional Kerala dish made with Roasted coconut. Chicken cooked in this ground roasted coconut gravy along with spices  adds a burst of flavor and aroma to this dish. This thick gravy chicken dish goes well with appam, rice or any Indian breads. Using fresh grated coconut and fresh whole spices does make a big difference in the flavor of this dish.  Though this chicken curry has many steps  and is a bit tedious to make the end results is sure worth it.

Roasted Coconut Chicken Curry (Varutharacha Kozhi Curry)

Ingredients
One small whole chicken skinned and cut to small pieces
Ginger one inch piece - cut into thin strips
Red Onion one half - cut into thin slices
Green chilly 4 - 6 split in center
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Ingredients for the roasted cococnut gravy: Fresh Grated coconut, Red onions,
Whole coriander seeds, Ginger, curry leaves, Whole red chilly, Turmeric,
Whole spices, Garlic

Ingredients for the Gravy
Red Onions /shallots - 1/2 cup thin sliced
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Garlic - 6 thin sliced
Ginger - 2 inch piece thin sliced
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Whole coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Whole red chilly - 4 - 6
Whole black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Whole fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cloves - 3 - 4
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon 2 inch piece
Turmeric 1/4 teaspoon
Oil 2 tablespoons

Ingredients to garnish
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Shallots thin slices - 4 tablespoons
Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Steps
1. Mix the clean cut chicken pieces with sliced onions, green chilly, curry leaves, turmeric, chilly powder, salt and half cup water. Mix well. cover with lid and cook on low flame till the chicken is cooked well.
2, Heat oil in a pan to prepare the gravy. When the oil gets hot add the Coriander seeds and whole red chilly. Fry of low flame till the coriander seeds and chilly are roasted well. Add the coconut, ginger, garlic, curry leaves,turmeric and whole spices to this and roast on low flame. Keep stirring and roast till the cococnut turn golden brown. Turn of heat and let this cool to room temperature.
3. Grind all the roasted ingredients with water in a blender to make a thick smooth gravy.
4. Add the gravy to the cooked chicken mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer on low flame and cook for about 10 minutes till all the flavors from the gravy are coated on the chicken. The gravy should be thick and not too watery. Turn off flame.
5. In another pan heat the remaining oil. When the oil gets hot add the sliced shallots and Fry till they are golden brown. Add the curry leaves. Turn off heat and pour this over the prepared chicken curry.

Serve hot with Appam, Rice or any Indian bread.