Delicious and Easy Kolhapuri Chicken Curry Recipe

5 from 2 votes

An authentic spicy chicken curry, easy to make and full of flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Marinating time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Low Calorie

Servings: portions

Calories: 462kcal

Dice the chicken into approximately 1 inch cubes [3cm].
Add the chicken to a mixing bowl and marinate it with the lemon and ginger garlic paste [ingredients in list 'first marinade'], and set aside for about half an hour.

In the meantime prepare the homemade masala.
Warm-up a large frying pan on medium heat.
Once the frying pan is warm add the grated coconut and stir well. Keep on mixing the coconut the whole time, so it doesn't burn in the pan; allow it to turn golden.
Once ready [after a couple of minutes], once the edges of the coconut shreds start turning golden, add the green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and star aniseed to the pan and mix keep on mixing.
After a minute, to a minute and a half, the spices will start to be fragrant; at this point add the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and peppercorn, and mix well again.
After a further minute and a half, add the mace, cloves, and bay leaf, and keep on mixing for a further two minutes, ensuring no spice gets burned.
Once all the spices are fragrant, remove them from the pan and put them on a large flat plate, spreading them out so the heat can escape.
In the same pan, keeping it warm, add the dry red chilies and allow them to become fragrant, without burning; the chilies are ready when they are crunchy, but do not become much darker.
Set the chilies aside with the other spices and allow them to cool down for about ten minutes, then grind until you have a fine powder.
Your homemade Kolhapuri chicken masala is ready.

Add half of the homemade Kolhapuri chicken masala to the chicken and mix well, then cover and allow the chicken to further marinate for another half an hour.

In a large pan, add the sunflower oil and allow to heat up on a low to medium flame; once the oil is warm add the thinly chopped onion and a pinch of salt (adding the salt allows the onions to cook quicker) and mix well.
Once the onions are golden, add the ginger garlic paste and mix well; allow the ginger garlic paste to lightly cook and fry until the smell of rawness of the garlic has gone, which will take about two minutes.
At this stage, add the turmeric and mix well; allow the turmeric to cook for about thirty seconds until it starts separating from the oil.
Add the chicken and sear it thoroughly, mixing it in the pan.
Once the chicken has browned all over, add the rest of the homemade masala, mix and allow it to cook as well; this will take about two minutes until the spices start separating from the oil.
Once the spices are ready, add the nutmeg and mix well once more.
After a further thirty seconds, add half of the thinly chopped cilantro (try using the part where the stems are), a bit of salt, and about 2 to 2 ½ cups [500 ml] of water, and bring it to a boil.
Once the curry is simmering, put a lid on the pan and reduce the heat to low, just to keep the curry lightly boiling away.
Allow the chicken to cook for about 15 minutes, or until done, then remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Serve the homemade Kolhapuri chicken curry with some lemon wedges and the remaining coriander leaves sprinkled on top. Enjoy!

It is important to have all the ingredients for the masala ready when commencing the preparation, as they need to be added quite quickly to ensure none get burnt in the process.
Coconut is rich in oil, so you want to ensure you keep an eye on it while you roast it on the pan, as it can quickly overcook and burn. Keep mixing it continuously.
If you see some spices are cooking too quickly, reduce the heat under the pan while you keep stirring the ingredients.
This Kolhapuri chicken curry can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.
The curry can also be frozen for up to three months in a suitable storage container. Ensure it is thoroughly reheated before serving.