I grew up in a mostly vegetarian household and this wasn’t particularly unique. Most of punjabi cooking is essentially vegetarian and meat is cooked only at weddings and feasts.
However, after moving away from India, I started cooking meat occasionally and have now a repertoire of recipes that I cook from time to time.
This coconut curry recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey’s “Ultimate Curry Bible”. While I happen to think that my mom’s vegetarian cooking is above and beyond Madhur Jaffery’s vegetarian recipes (it’s hard to beat Punjabi vegetarian cooking!), there are some very good non vegetarian recipes in her book.
Madhur calls this recipe “Singapore South Indian chicken” but South Indian cooking has had a massive influence over the Singaporean cooking that this recipe could easily be from South India.
One of my dear friends like this curry so much that whenever I cook it, she will go hungry the whole day! and then she literally comes close to licking the bowl. I have a sneaking suspicion that when no one is looking, she licks the bowl as it is so clean when she is done eating!
I have stayed close to Madhur’s recipe and changed only a handful of things.
This curry is ultimate comfort food and is perfect for both week night dinners and for when friends come over for Friday night dinners.
I hope you will give this coconut and potato chicken curry a try!
Happy curry cooking!
Ingredients
- 600 gram Chicken drumsticks skins removed
- 1.5 tbsp curry powder look for madras powder in Indian grocery stores
- 2 tbsp coconut oil vegetable oil is ok too if you don't have coconut oil
- 3 medium onions 1-2 inch in diameter, sliced very thinly
- 1-2 inch ginger peeled and chopped very finely
- 4-5 garlic cloves peeled and chopped very finely
- 15-20 curry leaves fresh "kadhi patta" leaves if you can find them
- 1 medium cinnamon stick
- 2-3 dried red chillies
- 2 small potatoes peeled and halved (or quartered if they are too big)
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 large tomato cut into 8 pieces
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rub half of the curry powder on the drum sticks and set them aside
- Mix the remaining curry powder in 150 ml of water and set aside
- Set the wok with oil on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the dried red chillies and curry leaves
- Immediately afterwords, add the onions, half of ginger and half of garlic
- Cook until the onions are browned on the edges and translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Alternate the heat between low and medium high and stir the onions so that they don't burn
- Add the curry powder and water mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Add the chicken, potatoes and salt. Bring the mixture to boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes
- Shake the coconut milk can and add it to the pan along with the lemon juice and cook uncovered for another 3 minutes
- Add the tomatoes, ginger and garlic and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes
- Serve with par-boiled rice
I’ve cooked coconut chicken following your recipe few times now – it was delicious! Thank you! I made the recipe my own in the last time by doubling coconut milk, adding extra lemon juice, potatoes, carrots and cauliflower. I used dry curry leaves instead of fresh.
Thank you 🙂. Glad you liked it and made it your own ❤️
Love the recipe of chicken coconut curry
Thank you 😊