April 2022 - Recipe of the month - Pidi and varutharacha chicken curry
Recipe by: Jais Johny
Photograph by: Hannah Maria Paul


PIDI INGREDIENTS
- Rice flour -4cup
- Grated coconut-2 cup + ½ cup
- Salt (according to taste)
- Garlic-15 flakes
- Cumin seeds-4 tsp
- Water - 18 cups
- Coconut milk(second pal)-2cup
METHOD FOR MAKING PIDI
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Mix Rice flour with 2 cup of grated coconut and salt as needed, then fry the rice flour until the color turns light brown
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Grind Garlic, cumin seeds with remaining ½ cup of grated coconut
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Boil around 18 cups of water in a big pan (uruli) and add the garlic mix in that water and add salt as needed.
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Take the rice flour grated coconut mix in a wide pan and add around 6 cups of boiled garlic water mix in to it to make a fine dough, keep it for sometime, after that make small rice balls out of it.
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Add 1 to 1½ cups of coconut milk into the rest of the boiled water mix, boil the mix for sometime.
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After that, add the rice balls in it and cook it well. The whole mix with the pidi will turn into a saucy consistency. Once rice balls are cooked through, remove and keep it aside for sometime for cooling.
VARUTHARACHA CHICKEN CURRY INGREDIENTS
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Chicken – 1 kg (Cut into small pieces)
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Onion – 1 small (Thinly sliced)
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Ginger – 1 big piece (Crushed)
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Garlic – 5 cloves (Crushed)
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Curry leaves - a few
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Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
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Tomato – 1 big (Chopped)
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Salt as needed
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Coconut oil - 1 tsp
GRAVY INGREDIENTS
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Grated coconut - 1¼ cups
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Dry red chillies – As per your taste
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Whole Peppercorns - ½ tsp.
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Curry leaves - a few
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Shallots – 4 small
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Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp.
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Turmeric powder - ½ tsp.
GARAM MASALA INGREDIENTS
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Fennel seeds - 1½ tbsp.
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Cinnamon – 1 big piece
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Star anise - 2
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Cardamom - 5
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Cloves - 10
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Mace – 1 small piece
TEMPERING INGREDIENTS
METHOD FOR MAKING VARUTHARACHA CHICKEN CURRY
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Heat a pan with a heavy bottom pan and add whole spices - fennel seeds, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, and mace.
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Once the spices become hot, remove and set aside.
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Add grated coconut, dry red chillies, whole peppercorns, some curry leaves, shallots and coriander seeds to the hot pan.
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Add coconut oil to roast the coconut.
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Roast till golden on medium flame.
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When it starts to turn golden, add turmeric powder. Sauté till the raw smell goes away.
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Switch off and transfer it to a plate to cool down.
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Add the roasted whole spices also.
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Once cool, pulse the grated coconut and spice mix a few times in a mixer without adding water.
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Then add water and grind it to a fine paste.
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Heat oil in a pan.
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Add onion, ginger, garlic and curry leaves.
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When the onion becomes soft, add turmeric powder. Sauté till the raw smell goes away.
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Add the ground paste and water, as required for the gravy.
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Add tomato, chicken and salt.
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Cover and cook the chicken.
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Heat oil in a pan for tempering.
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Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
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Add dry red chillies, remaining shallots and curry leaves.
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Add turmeric powder and roast on low flame.
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Add this to the curry and mix well.
Bon appetit