Mangalorean Kori Rotti Chicken Curry

Kori Rotti is a Mangalorean speciality. Kori means chicken, and rottis, in this case, are not the traditional chapattis or rotis. They are a special kind of bread, which are made of rice paste and then dried, so quite hard and crispy and are made into sheets that are then broken into pieces. These rottis, when soaked by the chicken curry, absorb it and turn quite soft. A real taste and texture sensation!

Ingredients:

• 1 kg chicken on the bone
• 1 medium sized onion finely sliced
• 1 coconut to extract 2 cups thin milk and 1 cup thick milk * see note#1 for substitute
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 cardamom slightly bruised
• 2 cloves
• salt to taste

For the masala

• 5 short red chillies * see note#2
• 10 long red chillies * see note#2
• 1-1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp peppercorns * see note#2
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds / methi
• 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 1/8th tsp turmeric powder
• 8-9 flakes of (Indian) garlic with skin
• 1 medium sized onion sliced
• 1/2 lime sized ball of tamarind
• 1/2 a coconut (or 1 cup grated coconut)
• 2 tbsp ghee or oil

For the seasoning

• 1 medium sized onion finely sliced
• 1 tbsp ghee

Method

1. Cut the chicken into medium sized pieces, wash and allow to drain on a colander.

2. In a heavy bottomed pan/kadhai heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil and roast the red chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds & cumin seeds one by one. Each of them should be roasted on a slow flame for a few seconds until you get a nice aroma * see note # 3

3. Next fry the onion and garlic and remove and add the coconut, turmeric powder and tamarind to the same pan, roast and remove.

4. Grind all the roasted ingredients to a fine paste using a little water. Reserve the masala water.

5. In the same pan add the ground masala and the sliced onion. Mix and add the thin coconut milk. Leave the pan uncovered & bring the curry to a boil, add the chicken pieces and salt to taste. Cover the pan now and cook the chicken till tender on a medium flame. When the chicken is cooked, simmer and add the thick coconut milk and bring it to boil for just a couple of seconds. Turn off the flame.

6. In a smaller pan, heat the ghee for seasoning and toss in the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pod and the sliced onion, fry till golden brown and add this to the curry. Cover the pan immediately to trap the aroma of the seasoning.

7. Serve hot with crispy rice Rotti - let the curry soak up the rotti a bit before you eat it. Alternatively, you can serve the curry with rice, pan polay (neer dosa), appams, sanna, mutlim (rice dumplings), polay (dosa) or chapathi