Everyone must be wondering what a combination. Yes, this is a must try combination. Kozhi Varutharacha Curry with Idiyappam/Noolputtu/Rice Noodles. This is one of our favorite breakfast or dinner items. If you really think about it, Keralites have a very healthy breakfast menu consisting of mostly steamed items. Puttu, Ragi Puttu, Idiyappam, Idly, Ada, Kozhukatta. The other items without oil are Appam, Pathiri. Our ancestors seems to have been health conscious.
The combination I am talking is absolutely finger licking good one. Do try it sometime. This curry goes well with Rice, Pathiri, Appam, Chapathi, Puri, Neer Dosa..the list is endless.
In the earlier days, it used to be made in a Kal Chatti (Stone Cooking Pot). The taste is amazing and it is cooked using firewood. The taste of my granny's curry is something I can never forget. I remember that the curry used to be over in no time.
To make rice noodles, I have a treasured possession - my mom's brass dough press. It's really priceless. Its so easy to make idiyappams in it compared to the ones you get these days in the market.
To make rice noodles, I have a treasured possession - my mom's brass dough press. It's really priceless. Its so easy to make idiyappams in it compared to the ones you get these days in the market.
So let's go to the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 8 people
Serves 8 people
Chicken - 1/2 kg
Grated/ Scraped Coconut - 4 cups
Curry leaves - 5+ 1 sprigs
Shallots/Cheria Ulli - 5
Fennel Seeds/Perinjeerakam - 2 tsp
Clove/Grambu - 4
Cinnamon/Patta - 1 (2inch piece)
Whole Pepper - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 4 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chicken Masala - 2 tsp
Onions - 2 large thinly sliced
Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 2 medium size
Potato - 2 medium size
Green Chilly - 3
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbsp
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 4 cups
Water - 4 cups
Salt - as required
METHOD
Heat a kadai. Add the grated coconuts, shallots and 5 sprigs of curry leaves. Roast it for about 15 minutes or till it turns golden brown. Keep stirring during this process.
Turn the flame to very low and add coriander powder, clove, cinnamon, pepper, fennel seeds and stir for a minute. Remove from flame and let cool.
Grind this mixture into a very fine paste adding very little water.
Wash, clean and chop the chicken into medium pieces.
Chop potatoes into cubes. Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Slit the chillies.
Heat oil in a cooker. Add the onions and saute till it becomes transparent.
Add ginger paste, garlic paste, tomato and green chilly. Saute for 5 minutes on medium flame.
Add chicken, chicken masala, potato,chilly powder,turmeric powder, 1 sprig curry leaves and salt. Mix well.
Saute for 5 minutes.
By this time the ground masala will be ready. Add the remaining water to the ground masala and pour it into the cooker.
Mix well. Check salt. Cover and cook until you hear 3 whistles. Switch off flame.
After the cooker cools down a bit, open and garnish curry with coriander leaves.
Tips:
There is no need to add any oil while roasting the coconut as oil will come out of the coconut as you roast.
While roasting the coconut be careful not to burn it. As you see it is about to brown lower the flame. In case it gets too brown switch off the flame and add the rest of the ingredients. It will get roasted as the coconut will be hot enough .In this case stir for about 15 secs.
I used Eastern Chicken Masala.
Grind the masala in a grinder for best results as it has to be really fine paste.
I have used freshly grated coconut. And since it is a breakfast item my folks need a lot of gravy and hardly any pieces. That's the reason I have added 4 cups of coconut for 1/2 kg chicken. For a family of 4, you may decrease the scraped/grated coconut to 2 cups (loosely packed). And increase spice level as per your taste.
The blend of spices I used (red chilly powder, chicken masala and Green Chilly) add up to the spice that gives a moderately spicy curry.
This is a thick gravy add more water if you like it thinner.
Grind the masala in a grinder for best results as it has to be really fine paste.
I have used freshly grated coconut. And since it is a breakfast item my folks need a lot of gravy and hardly any pieces. That's the reason I have added 4 cups of coconut for 1/2 kg chicken. For a family of 4, you may decrease the scraped/grated coconut to 2 cups (loosely packed). And increase spice level as per your taste.
The blend of spices I used (red chilly powder, chicken masala and Green Chilly) add up to the spice that gives a moderately spicy curry.
This is a thick gravy add more water if you like it thinner.
IDIYAPPAM
INGREDIENTS
Rice powder(fine) - 2 cups
Hot water - 1 ½ - 2
cups.
Grated coconut - 1/2
to 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp or to
taste
You will also need:
Noolputtu Maker(dough press)
Noolputtu Stand// Idly Mould for smaller idiyappams
Idli maker
METHOD
Boil water, add salt & mix it well. Slowly add this water to the rice powder and mix with a
ladle.
Keep the idli maker on the stove with 3 cups of water. Sprinkle some grated coconut in each Idliyappam mould.
When it is cool enough to handle knead to make smooth dough. Make a small ball of the dough and fill it in the idiyappam
maker.
Rotate the idiappam press handle slowly over each slotted plate where
the grated coconut is sprinkled making small circles. Make similar ones in all the moulds.
Sprinkle some more grated coconut over all the Idiappams.
When the water boils in the idli maker,keep the idiyappam stand/Idli moulds
in it and steam for just 5 minutes.
Let it cool for 2-3 minutes.Remove from the mould and serve hot.
