Hold your breath ! This flavourful bomb dish is heavenly delicious to please your senses. Kerala style Chicken Varutharacha Curry Recipe can be paired with anything.Rice , Appam or Dosa.

What is Chicken Varutharacha ?

The quintessential Malabar dish when one talks about Chicken.

Varutharacha is a paste prepared with roasted grated coconut with other spices. It takes 15-20 minutes to prepare this paste. a you need to roast at low flame. (not Burn ! )

You may like to try this Malabar style Egg Roast Recipe 

Varutharacha Chicken Curry Recipe

You need around 1 cup grated coconut for this recipe.It is better to use fresh coconut. You can use a frozen too, bring it to room temperature before using .

I have roasted grated coconut in coconut oil.Add fennel seeds, black pepper , ginger , garlic , dry red chillies , green chillies , curry leaves, coriander seed ( Can use coriander powder ) to it. Cool down and make a fine paste with 1/4 cup water.
This is a spicy dish. You can skip red chillies here to tone down the spicy level.It will take 15-20 minutes.
Do not forget to marinate the chicken with salt, turmeric powder,  Chilli powder ( you can use Kashmiri chilli powder) and lemon juice for at least 15 minutes .

This curry can be prepared using shallots which adds more flavour . I have used 2 large red onion. Around 100 gm Onion is enough for 1 kilo chicken.
Use of coconut oil is a must when you plan to cook a Malabar delicacy. I have used a cold pressed coconut oil which makes the dish more delicious. You can use regular refined oil but not recommended .
It’s better to use small or medium sized chicken pieces. Include bones too. Do not go for boneless when you trying such traditional dishes.
I use Black pottery clay pot to cook this dish. You can check here which I received from Kochi, Kerala 2 weeks before.

You may like to try this Kerala style Fish fry

Well, you can use any utensil of your choice. Try to avoid Non-stick kitchenware which is not a healthy option . I always insist my family and friends to do so.

Clay pots, cast irons and iron Kadais are part of my everyday cooking. Old is gold !

Print Recipe

Varutharacha Chicken Curry

Malabar style Chicken curry

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

kerala

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

60 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

To make the Gravy

• 2 red onion
• 6 garlic clove
• 2 inch ginger
• 1/2 tsp Black p
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed
• 1 small tomato
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Varutharacha Masala Paste

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/4 tap black pepper
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed
• 2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 4 Green Chillies
• 2 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 Sprig Curry leaf
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 inch Chop Ginger
• 2 garlic clove
• 1 tsp garam masala

Marinade

• 1 Kilo chicken
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder

Course Main Dish Cuisine kerala Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 60 minutes Servings people Ingredients To make the Gravy 2 red onion 6 garlic clove 2 inch ginger 1/2 tsp Black p 1/4 tsp fennel seed 1 small tomato 2 tbsp coconut oil Varutharacha Masala Paste 1 cup grated coconut 1/4 tap black pepper 1/4 tsp fennel seed 2 tbsp Coriander powder 4 Green Chillies 2 Dry Red Chillies 1 Sprig Curry leaf 1 tbsp coconut oil 1/2 inch Chop Ginger 2 garlic clove 1 tsp garam masala Marinade 1 Kilo chicken 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 1 tsp Turmeric powder

Instructions

1. Wash the chicken cut into small pieces. Marinate with turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, lemon juice for 20 minutes.

   
2. To make Varutharacha paste ,heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Reduce the flame and add grated coconut. Fry for 5 minutes at low flame.

   
3. Add garlic , ginger , curry leaves and slited green chillies.You have to cook at low flame.

   
4. Add fennel seeds, black pepper seeds. Keep on sautéing , else coconut may burn at the bottom. It will take 15-20 minutes to get the perfect roast golden colour.

   
5. Add coriander powder , garam masala powder at the end . Switch off the flame. Give it a mix and transfer to a plate. Let it cool at room temperature.

   
6. Add around 1/4 cup Water to make a smooth fine paste. Keep it aside.

   
7. Make a paste of 1/4 black pepper, 1/4 tsp fennel seed, 2 inch ginger, 6-7 garlic cloves adding a little water.

   
8. In a pan heat 2 tbsp Coconut oil. You can use the same pan which you used to roast the coconut. Add the prepared ginger garlic paste and cook at medium flame.
9. Add onion and cook at medium flame for 5 minutes.

   
10. When the onion are slight brown and soft , add chopped tomato.
11. Add curry leaves and cook till tomato pieces are soft and mixed well to the onion.

    
12. Add chicken and mix well. cook at high flame for 3-4 minutes .
13. Add the prepared Varutharacha paste and mix well . Add 3-4 cups water . Adjust salt at this point. Cover with a lid and let it cook at low to medium flame till it’s done.
14. I added 3 cups of water as I served the dish with steamed rice. The consistency of the gravy was thick.