Chicken Ghee Roast | Classic Chicken Dish from Coastal Karnataka

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Chicken Ghee Roast is a classic spicy-tangy delicacy from my native. It was first invented in Shetty Lunch Home in a small coastal town of Kundapur in South India, but it became popular in Mangalorean restaurants. We get to relish this dish in all places now including some restaurants in Bangalore which specialize in coastal food. Now there are many versions of this dish, I make it in two ways - one with my very handy spice mix  - Kundapur Masala Powder and the other with freshly roasted spices depending on the time I have to cook.  Either way it can not go wrong as there are two great things in this dish "Indian spices" and lots of "ghee" (clarified butter).  

One kg chicken needs about a cup of ghee, please do not skimp on the ghee as it brings out the special flavor of this dish. It's originally a spicy dish but you can reduce the amount of chillies to suit your taste. Please read on for the recipe.

 

Ingredients: 
Chicken: 1 kg
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Lemon juice:2 tbsp
Curd: 1/2 cup Salt to taste
Ghee(clarified Butter): 1 cup
Curry Leaves: 1-2 sprigs
Sugar: 1 tsp 

For the spice paste:
Dry red chillies (mild variety): 25-30
Garlic: 6-8 cloves 
Coriander seeds : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds:  1 tsp
Blackpepper: 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds:1/4 tsp
Tamarind paste: 1 tbsp 

Method:

1. Clean chicken and cut into medium size pieces (make gashes on the bigger pieces/drumsticks). Marinate the chicken with curd, lemon and salt, keep aside for 2-3 hours. 

2.  Heat a tsp of coconut oil and roast dry red chillies, Pepper corn, coriander, cumin and  fenugreek seeds. Grind it with tamarind paste and garlic to a thick paste, add a little water as needed. 

 or

  Take a cup of thick tamarind extract, add 4-5 tbsp of kundapur masala powder and make a thick paste. 

3. Heat 1/2 cup of ghee in a wok, add marinated chicken and saute for 10-15 mins or until the chicken is almost done. 

4. In the meantime heat the remaining ghee in a small pan add curry leaves and let it crisp up a bit, add the spice paste, sugar,a pinch of salt and fry until the spice paste is roasted nicely and ghee separates. 

5. Now add the roasted spice paste to half cooked chicken in the wok and cook the chicken. Keep sauteing until all the masala sticks to the chicken and dries out. 

6. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a starter or as a side dish with Dose/Appams.  

 
 

  

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Bele Saru | Toor Dal/Pegion Peas Rasam | Udupi Saru

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Food is all about memories. It has a way of transporting us back to the past. I have so many fond memories that revolve around food. The moment I smell a good tomato saru (rasam) or think about it, I will be transported back to my mother's kitchen as a little girl impatiently looking at a pot of boiling saru. Bele saru as we call it at home is a simple toor dal tomato rasam, it holds a special place in my heart. Although there are quite a few dishes that take me down memory lane, this is no doubt my comfort food. Served with hot steaming rice, a dollop of ghee and mango pickle, I could eat it anytime of the day.

The saru (rasam) my mother made was so good that whenever I made it, it was always compared with hers. My brother always used to tell me that the taste was almost there. Then it took me many unsuccessful trials to match the taste. Now I can comfortably say I make equally good bele saru :) 

The trick was in the freshly pound rasam powder, my mother used to pack me a big box of it everytime I visited her. Now I have learnt to make this goodie myself.  Learn how to make udupi style bele saru aka rasam..


Ingredients: 
Togari bele/ Toor Dal/Yellow pegion peas : 1/2 cup
Ripe Tomatoes : 2
Green chillies: 2-3
Tamarind juice : 1/2 cup
Jaggery : 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coriander leaves for garnish
Coconut oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Sarina pudi /Rasam powder: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash split pigeon peas and soak in enough water for 15 mins, add a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil and pressure cook it until done. Soak Tamarind in warm water for 10 mins, squeeze the juice. Keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add mustard and cumin seeds, when it splutters add hing and mix.

3. Mix in curry leaves and slit green chillies and saute for 30 seconds.

4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook it for 2 minutes.

5. Now add rasam powder, salt, jaggery and tamarind water and cook it until the tomatoes are pulpy.

6. Now add the cooked dal and enough water and bring to boil. Leave it on for 5 minutes.

7. Adjust the seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn of the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

8. Serve hot with steaming rice, ghee, pickle and papad.  


Learn how to make rasam powder at home ---> Home made rasam powder /Sarina pudi Recipe

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Kundapura Chicken Sukka | Chicken cooked in coconut masala

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Chicken sukka is by far one of the most popular bunt dishes. It's made differently in different regions of coastal Karnataka. It's a dry dish made with a perfect blend of coconut and spices.

My grandma would dry roast the spices and make a paste and cook chicken in it along with roasted coconut paste. that's the authentic way of doing it. I follow my mother's quick fix sukka recipe that she makes with Kundapura Masala Powder. The result is almost the same and the method is much easier and quicker.

It can be made as a dry item or with a little gravy. It tastes delicious with Neer dose or white/brown rice. Here is the recipe from my mother's kitchen to yours.

Ingredients:

Chicken : 1/2 kg

Turmeric : 1 tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Clarified butter/ghee: 1 tsp

Garlic: 6-8 cloves

Ginger: 1 inch

Onion: 3 medium sized

Kundapura masala powder: 2 tbsp

Fresh coconut: 1 cup

Coconut oil: 2 tbsp

Tomato: 1

Salt to taste.

Method:
1. Clean chicken and cut into medium size pieces. Apply turmeric, lemon juice and ghee and keep it aside for 15 minutes.

2. Heat coconut oil in a pot and fry chopped garlic for a min. Mix in chopped onion and ginger and saute until onions turn light golden in color.

3. Add the marinated chicken and saute until the raw smell disappears - about 5 minutes.

4. Add salt and Kundapur masala powder and mix well, cover and cook until the chicken is almost cooked. Chicken will cook in its own juices but sprinkle a little water if it's too dry.

5. While the chicken is cooking roast the fresh coconut on low flame for 3-4 minutes, put it in the mixer jar and pulse it 2-3 times. Add this coconut to the chicken and mix well.

6. Adjust salt and water and cook the chicken on low flame for another 10-15 minutes. 

7. Next add in chopped tomatoes and mix well. Let it cook until all the flavors have combined well and the chicken is well cooked.

Note:

If you want a drier version you can skip tomatoes and add very little water while cooking the chicken. 

Click here to know how to make Kundapura Masala Powder.

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Kori Pulimunchi | Chicken Pulimunchi | Chicken in Tangy Spicy Sauce

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Kori Pulimunchi is a traditional dish famous in Tulunadu (Udupi/Mangalore). The name says it all that this dish stands for :-) Kori = Chicken, Puli = Tamarind(sour), Munchi = chilli so it's chicken in tangy, spicy gravy. It tastes great with neer dose, idli or aapam.

Recipe Type: Nonveg | Main dish

Prep time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins.

Ingredients:
Chicken: 500 gms cut into medium pieces.
Dry red chillies: 10
Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds:1/4 tsp
Black pepper :1 tsp
Garlic : 7-8 cloves
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Tamarind: 1 marble size
Kokam Skin /Punarpuli : 2 (Optional)
Chakke: 1 small piece (optional)
Lavanga: 1-2 (optional)
Coconut : 1 tbsp (optional)
Medium sized onion: 3
Curry Leaves: 2 sprig
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and clean chicken and apply some salt, turmeric powder and a little ghee and keep it aside.

2. Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and pepper. Roast red chillies with a little oil and roast coconut until its golden brown in color.

3. Add tamarind, kokam skin, garlic and a little water to the roasted ingredients and grind to a smooth paste in a mixer.

4. Finely chop onions, keep 2-3 tbsp of onion separately for tempering later.

5. Heat oil in a deep pan and add the remaining onions and saute until its golden brown in color.

6. Add chicken pieces and fry for 4-5 minutes.

7. Next mix in the ground paste, salt and 1/2 cup water and cook it on medium flame until the gravy thickens and chicken is cooked completely. Adjust water to get the desired consistency of the gravy.

8. Heat ghee in a small pan and add curry leaves and 3 tbsp of onions that we had kept separately and saute until the onions turn brown.

9. Add this tempering to the chicken, close the lid and cook for a minute and turn off the flame.

10. Serve the delicious Kori pulimunchi with neer dose, dose, aapam or rice. It goes well with chapathi also.

Notes:
1. Adjust the amount of tamarind if you are not adding punarpuli/kokam peel (Mangosteen peel).
2. Coconut is optional but it gives a little substance to the gravy.
3. I like to keep it a bit dry to go with dose, if you are serving with rice you can add more water or coconut milk and make more gravy.

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Anjal/Surma Rava Fry | Crispy Spicy King Fish Fry

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King Fish, Sear Fish, Anjal, Surma or Surmai called by so many different names, this is a very famous fish in Coastal Karnataka, Goa and Konkan Area. My personal favorite is Masala Fry.

Rava fry gives a different texture to this fish which is crispy from outside and succulent inside. This spicy, tangy and aromatic fish is very easy to make. If you like it spicy please add more red chilli powder. I serve it with simple Rice and Dal and my husband being a cricketer doesn't fail to tell me that it's also Sachin Tendulkar's favorite food ;-). It can be served as an appetizing starter also.

Here is a simple step by step recipe to make this spicy fish fry.

Ingredients:

King Fish Slices : 4

For the marinade paste:
Beaten Egg : 1
Corn Flour: 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder: 2 tbsp
Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
Garam Masala : 1/4 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste: 2 tsp
Lemon juice: 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil: 1/2 tsp

To Fry:
Oil: 2 tbsp
Rava/Semolina : 1/4 cup

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl mix all the marinade ingredients and whisk it well.

2. Wash and clean the slices of fish and rub the marinade paste well so the fish is well coated with the paste. Keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour to one hour.

3. Heat oil in a big frying pan, dip the fish slice in semolina and coat it from all sides and arrange on the hot pan in a single layer. Let it roast on medium heat for 5 minutes on one side and carefully flip the slices. Once it turns golden brown in color turn off the flame and remove the fish on a paper towel. It will take abt 10-15 minutes depending on the size.

4. Serve hot with lemon wedges and Onion roundels.

Notes:
1. Egg is added for better binding but you can skip it and it will taste just as great.
2. You can also add rice flour along with rava for the outer coating.
3. Adjust the amount of chilli powder as per your taste.
4. You can freeze the marinated fish for a week without it losing the taste.
5. Please sprinkle little salt, lemon juice and turmeric if you want to freeze the kingfish without the full marination. It will help to retain the taste of the fish.
6. This fish can be deep fried as well, I usually shallow fry it with only 2 tbsp oil. Either ways it tastes good as long as the fish is well roasted in hot oil :)

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Banana Halwa | Festive Sweet and Deepavali Celebration

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Deepavali - the festival of lights spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a three to five-day period, but the main festival night of Deepavali coincides with the darkest, no moon night of the year. 

It's one my favorite festivals. lights, colors, sweets, savories and family get-togethers always make this festival very dear to me. I have very fond memories of Deepavali since my childhood. When we all grew up and went to different places to study and work, it was the only time of the year when my sisters, my brother and I would meet up at home. We always looked forward to this festival. 

The night before the Deepavali traditionally the water wells (bavi) and copper pots were cleaned and decorated with marigold flowers and Creepers. Bathroom is cleaned and the fireplace is worshiped before the water is filled in the decorated pots (hande). My job was to beat the jagante (metallic plate with a stick to beat it) while my mother filled water in the pot. This is filling water or 'Neeru tumbuva habba'. I never missed to be home for this day even if that meant taking an additional day off from college or work.

Next morning (Naraka Chaturdashi) we did oil bath (Enne Snana) and in the evening we lit clay lamps and lined them inside and outside the house along Veranda, windowsills, Tulsi and compound wall and gate. Me and my sisters made big rangolis together and decorated with colors and flower petals. This was done for all three days of the festival and 2 clay lamps were lit for one full month of Kartika.

We did Lakshmi Puja (prayer to goddess of Wealth and Prosperity) on no moon day (Amavasye) with all the family members together, it was followed by setting off crackers, pots, rockets and other fireworks.

Next day (Bali padyami) we usually had puja in my father's and uncles' hotels. We all cousins used to dress up and go from one hotel to the other enjoying puja, prasad and most importantly the chit-chat and photo time we all got together :)

My mother makes holige, karchikayi, Avalakki Chooda and other Sweets. From last 2 years I am missing the festival at my mother's place. Yet another year has gone by and my kitchen is gearing up for the festival.

Like the clay lamp which burns itself to spread the light in darkness, let's spread happiness around us this Deepavali. Here is a sweet recipe from coastal Karnataka to indulge on this festive occasion. I wish you and you family a very happy and prosperous Deepavali.  - ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ಸಿಹಿ ಹಾರೈಕೆಗಳು.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
6 Medium size Ripe Bananas
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Cardamom Powder
4 Tbsp Clarified butter /Ghee
8-10 Cashew - chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp Roasted White sesame seeds for garnish

Method:
1. Peel Bananas, add cardamom powder and Sugar and grind it into a smooth paste in a mixer.

2. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed pot and roast broken cashews until it turns to golden color.

3. Add the ground banana paste and start sauteing. It will take about one hour to cook completely.
   Scrape the sides and mix it well every 10-15 minutes and add the remaining ghee little by little.

4. Once the banana mixture turns transparent and becomes sticky turn off the flame.

5. Pour it on a greased plate and level with back of a spoon. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on top and let it cool down completely.

6. Cut them into small cubes and enjoy the delicious sweet on this festive season.

Notes:
1. Adjust the amount of sugar according to sweetness of banana, usually this dish is made with nendra balehannu  (Musa Nendran Banana) but you can pretty much use any type of banana.
2. You can use sliced almonds or pistachio for garnishing instead of sesame seeds.

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Prawns Curry | A Mangalorean delight

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Prawns curry is a thick, creamy and spicy coconut based masala gravy cooked with prawn. Like any other curry it can be made in several different ways. I follow my mother in law's Mangalorean recipe with a small change. I add 2 tbsp of coconut cream to get a smoother and creamy gravy which is completely optional :-) Here is the quick recipe to make this super easy prawns curry.

Ingredients:

Prawns: 1/2 kg

Medium sized Onion: 1 

Garlic: 4-5 cloves

Tomato : 1

Ginger: 1 inch

Green chilli : 2

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Coconut cream : 2 tbsp (optional)

Coconut oil: 2 tbsp

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste.

Lemon juice: 1/2 tsp

For masala paste:

Fresh coconut: 1 cup

Dry red chillies: 6-7

Coriander seeds : 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds : 1/2 tbsp

Peppercorn: 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Garlic : 2-3 cloves

Tamarind : small marble size

Method:

1. Wash, devein and clean the prawns, sprinkle salt, turmeric powder and lemon juice and keep it aside for 15 mins.

2. In a deep pan dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper and fenugreek seeds until the spices turn crispy and aromatic.

3. Grind it along with coconut, tamarind and garlic with 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.

4. Finely chop onion, garlic, tomato and ginger and slit green chillies.

5. Heat oil in the same pot and add garlic and curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.

6. Add onion and ginger and fry them until onions turn golden brown in color.

7. Add tomato and cook until it turns soft and oil separates.

8. Mix in ground paste, salt and 1 cup water and bring it to boil.

9. Add prawns and cook for 7-8 minutes.

10.Add coconut cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

11. Serve hot with boiled rice or steamed rice and lemon wedges.

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