Simple and Delicious Kerala Style Chicken Curry with Coconut

Growing up in the Northeast of Italy, we thought we were quite cosmopolitan; there, on the border with Eastern Europe, enjoying fancy foods, different languages, and architecture, we thought we had seen it all.

Fast forward to me moving to London, meeting Jay, and starting to really travel the world, beyond what I thought was the travelable part of it - because yes, whilst I knew other places existed, I never thought I could visit them - I found myself sitting in a Mumbai flat, looking at my mother-in-law proudly serving a dinner of soft thick appams and this chicken mappas, and that was it, I fell in love with what must be one of the most decadent and delicious cuisines in the world: Indian.

So, once more, here is a delicious South Indian curry, Kerala Style to be precise, prepared in under half an hour, using very simple and nutritious ingredients for a spectacular, mouth-dropping result. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do every single time!

Ingredients Chicken Curry Kerala Style

• Chicken, and Potatoes: The two main ingredients of the curry. You can choose any cut of chicken you can dice, just ensure it is skinless. All-purpose diced white potatoes will work, either skin on or skin off.
• Oil: Flavorless vegetable oil or sunflower oil works perfectly. I don't use coconut oil here like for Nadan Kozhi [Nadan chicken curry], as there is fresh coconut.
• Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilies, Onions: If possible, opt for the fresh versions, as they taste better. You may use ginger garlic paste if needed, but balance the amount, as these tend to be stronger and pungent.
• Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder: Simple Indian spices. Should red chili powder be too spicy for your taste, you can try using Kashmiri chili powder instead, which offers less heat but a beautiful red color.
• Curry Leaves: One of the most important ingredients in this Kerala-style chicken curry! If possible, use fresh ones, as their aroma is unique, however freshly frozen or dry will work well too.
• Garam Masala, and Fennel Powder: South Indian Garam Masala is warmer and more aromatic than the traditional one and works wonders with a pinch of refreshing fennel powder.
• Cashews, and Almonds: They are blended with the fresh coconut to make the curry creamier and richer, however, they can be skipped.
• Fresh Coconut: Freshly grated [or freshly grated frozen] coconut is the essence of this curry, and can't be replaced with desiccated coconut. Thick coconut cream may be used instead, but the result won't be the same.
• Salt, and Black Pepper: To Taste.

How to make Kerala Style Chicken Curry?

1. Start by grinding to a fine paste the coconut meat, almonds, and cashew nuts; after grinding for about 30 seconds you may need to mix the content with a spoon and add a bit of water to make further grinding easier.
2. To start this Kerala style chicken curry recipe, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the finely chopped ginger and garlic, as well as the slit chilies .
3. Once the smell of the rawness of the garlic has gone, add the cubed potatoes, sliced onions, and salt; mix well and allow to cook for a couple of minutes on a medium flame.

4. At this stage start adding the spices: red chili powder (very little as you don’t want to lose the typical Mappas color), coriander powder, and turmeric powder; mix well and cook for about one minute, until the spices separate from the oil.
5. Next, add the diced chicken, mix well and allow it to cook for about 10 minutes with the lid on; mix occasionally but allow the chicken to slightly brown around while cooking.
6. After 10 minutes, the chicken will be nearly cooked, so next add the curry leaves, garam masala, and fennel powder, mix well once again and allow to cook for a further minute. 

7. For the last stage, add the cream of coconut, cashew nuts, and almonds and adjust the water amount according to taste; once the curry is simmering again, put the lid back on and allow it to cook for a further 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked (whichever takes longer).
8. Enjoy with bread, appam, flatbread, or rice of choice!

Tips and Tricks for this delish Kerala chicken curry

• Coconut: If you read the whole recipe, you will have noticed I mentioned this before: do not use desiccated coconut, as it will not taste right, nor offer the correct consistency. If you can't find fresh or freshly frozen coconut, use thick tinned coconut milk or cream instead; although it will not offer the same end result, it will still be good.
• Chicken: In this particular recipe used chicken breasts, however, you can use juicy thighs or drums as well as a mixture of all. Boneless or bone-in chicken are both great options, but it is best to use skinless chicken.
• Nadan Kozhi: This is not Nadan chicken curry, which uses mustard seeds, tomato, and coconut oil, but another Keralan chicken curry.
• All Potato or All Chicken: If you don't fancy mixing the two, just don't and use more of what you like!
• Heat level: If you prefer your curry to be hotter or milder, play with the amount of red chili powder you are using, as well as the green chilies, as they can all be increased or decreased to liking.
• Fennel Powder: I make my own fennel powder by grinding fennel seeds [which I use for tea]; however, should you not have them, you can use a little cumin powder [here's how to make it from seeds] or anise powder instead.

Yes, this is the one and only Kerala-style chicken curry you will want to try. With well-balanced flavors, a rich gravy, and a surprisingly easy recipe, it is a chicken curry you will find yourself making over and over again!