Author: Karina Arora - Better With Spice
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 4 hours marination 
Cook Time: 1 hours

For this Kerala-inspired chicken curry, whole peppercorns are dry-roasted with curry leaves and coconut, then blitzed into an aromatic spice mix that both thickens the sauce and layers in nutty, earthy depth.

It’s traditionally made as a ‘dry curry’—hence the word ‘fry’. I like to finish it with a scattering of crisped curry leaves and mop it all up with a flaky Malabar Paratha.

Ingredients

• 1kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1-2 tbsps. coconut oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 green chilli
• 1 tomato, diced

Spices -

• 1/2 tbps. Pep peppercorns
• 2 tsps. fennel seeds
• 4 tbsps. desiccated/ ground coconut
• Handful of curry leaves + more to serve
• 1 dry red chilli
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 tsps. Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tsps. ground turmeric
• 2 tbsps ground coriander
• 3 tsps. garam masala
• Salt and ground pepper, to taste

To serve -

• Malabar paratha/ parotta

Method

1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and marinate with 1 tsp each of chilli, coriander, turmeric and garam masala, plus salt. Marinate overnight or minimum 4 hours.
2. Toast whole peppercorns and fennel seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. 
3. Add coconut and 10-12 curry leaves, toast until golden. Cool and grind to a powder.
4. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large pan. Add mustard seeds and dried chilli - when seeds pop, add onion and fry until soft.
5. Make a rough paste with garlic, ginger and fresh chilli, then stir into the pan with onions.
6. Pour in remaining oil and spices, fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
7. Add chopped tomato and cook until liquid reduces and mixture thickens.
8. Stir in marinated chicken and the ground coconut pepper powder. Simmer uncovered 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
9. Adjust consistency with water if needed, or cook down to thicken. Season with salt and a big pinch of pepper.
10. Serve with flaky parotta and toasted curry leaves.

For more gorgeous recipes from our friend Karina, head over to Better With Spice.