Erachi Ularthiyathu/ Kerala Style Slow Roasted Meat

Erachi Ularthiyathu is one of the popular dishes of Kerala. It can be made with mutton or chicken. Here the meat is marinated with the masala, cooked and then sauteed along with fried onions. It is a famous Thattu Kada (local fast food joints) special.

Chicken Ularthiyathu is a spicy dish of Kerala. It is famous among the Christian community in Kerala. It is usually made with beef but it tastes good with any meat. The Kerala spices along with coconut cuts gives that distinct flavour to this preparation. And by slow cooking it all the masala gets absorbed into the meat. The word 'erachi' in malayalam means meat and 'ularthiyathu' means roasted. So here is the recipe.

Erachi Ularthiyathu/ Kerala Style Slow Roasted Meat 
(Printable Recipe)

INGREDIENTS
1.Chicken - 1 kg cut into cubes
2.Kashmiri Chilly Powder - 2tbsp
   Coriander Powder- 4 tbsp
   Pepper Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
   Meat Masala - 3 tsp
   Cumin - 1/2 tsp
   Fennel Seeds- 1/2 tsp
   Cinnamon - 2 '' piece
   Clove - 3
   Cardamom - 3
 3.Coconut Cuts / Thenga Kottu - 1/2 cup
   Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
   Salt - a pinch
4.Shallots - 1/2 cup thinly sliced
   Garlic - 8 cloves
   Ginger - 2 inch piece finely chopped
   Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
   Vinegar - 2 tbsp
   Salt - 1 1/2 tsp or as required
5.Coconut Oil - 5 tbsp
6.Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  Onion - 1/2 cup thinly sliced
  Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs

METHOD

Clean and chop chicken into small pieces.

In a pan dry roast the ingredients listed in point 2  and grind it to a fine paste by adding 4 tbsp water.

Transfer the masala from the processor into a large bowl.
Add 1/2 cup water into the processor and pulse it to remove any remaining masala in it and keep aside.

Transfer the chicken into the bowl and coat it well with the masala. 

Mix  the coconut pieces with turmeric and salt.

In a cooker, heat 3 tbsp oil and saute the coconut pieces till fried and golden at the tips.

Now add in the chicken along with the ingredients listed under 4 and mix well.

Saute  for a minute on medium flame. The masala should coat the chicken well.

Now add in the masala water. Mix well.

Check salt. And cover and cook on slow flame till the chicken is tender/ once you hear 2 whistles on slow flame.

Now heat the remaining coconut oil in a large kadai. Add the mustard and let it splutter.

Add the onions and fry till golden. 

Add the cooked chicken  with the liquid to this pan along with 2 sprigs of curry leaves. Saute till all the liquid has dried up and the masala well coated.

Serve hot with rotis or pathiri.

Cooking tips:

You can use the same recipe to make Mutton Ularthiyathu.

For a more spicier version add fresh crushed pepper almost 1/2 to 1 tsp depending on spice tolerance.

This is a dry preparation.
In the original preparation more oil is used. Almost 1/4 cup to saute chicken.

Make sure the coconut pieces and onions are fried well as this gives that distinct flavour to the meat.

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