Kerala Chicken Stew

Kerala Chicken Stew is a traditional dish from the state of Kerala (India). It is a mild chicken curry prepared using bone-in chicken, veggies, spices, and coconut milk. Serve it with steamed rice, appam.

 

Important Notes: – The coconut milk might curdle while cooking. But don’t worry; the curry will be fine once you add thick coconut milk at the end of cooking. But if you don’t want the milk to curdle at all, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to it. It will also make the curry creamier.

 

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 50 mins

Total: 1 hour 

 

Servings:  4 people

Ingredients 

Ingredients:

 

1 kg. Chicken cut in cubes

2 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)

2-3 whole clove (laung)

1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)

3-4 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)

2 bay leaves (tejpatta)

2 cups thinly sliced onions

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

3-4 green chilies (slit into half)

10-12 curry leaves

2 cups thin coconut milk (To make thin coconut milk, mix together quarter cup thick coconut milk with 2 cups water.)

Half cup peeled and cubed potatoes 

Half cup peeled and cubed carrots 

Quarter cup cashew nut paste

1 cup thick coconut milk

Salt & Pepper as per taste

3 tbsp coconut oil

 

Ingredients for Tempering

2 tbsp coconut oil

4-5 pearl onions (sliced)

10-12 curry leaves

 

Method to make The Stew

Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and bay leaves and sauté for 5-6 seconds.

Add onions, ginger, and garlic, and cook until the onions are light brown in color. Stir frequently.

Add green chilies and curry leaves and cook until the onions turn golden brown in color, stirring frequently.

For a lighter-colored stew, cook the onions until they are just translucent.

Now add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add thin coconut milk and salt and mix well.

Reduce the heat to low.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20 minutes.

Stir a few times in between.

Add potatoes and carrots and mix well. Cover and cook until chicken and vegetables are cooked well (20-25 minutes). Stir a few times in between.

Now add cashew nut paste and thick coconut milk and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Check for salt and add more if needed.

 

Method to Temper the Stew

 

Heat oil over medium heat and roast the cashews until they are golden brown and crisp. Once done, stir in another sprig of curry leaves that are roughly torn. Stir for a few seconds and turn off the heat. Add this to the Kerala Chicken Stew. 

 

Final step is to caramelize the onions. Heat a pan with a little oil; add onions and sauté until they turn lightly brown and caramelized.

 

Sprinkle the caramelized onions over the simmering curry, give it a stir, check the taste and adjust the salt accordingly. Transfer the Kerala Chicken Stew to a serving bowl and serve hot.