Recipe for a rustic Karnataka style Kozhi Saaru – Chicken curry. Best made with nati koli / naatu kozhi / country chicken. Homestyle spicy chicken curry recipe kannadiga style with step by step pictures.
I have noticed that there is one ingredient used generously in Karnataka style non-veg preparations and that is cloves. The flavour of cloves and the use of green chillies and coriander leaves in masala is what gives these rustic curries their unique flavour and colour.
There are four major spices in trade that Asia is known for in history. Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove and Nutmeg. Indonesian cloves are regarded as the best. Even though India is known for its spices, clove is something we do not produce a lot. In 2017, we produced around 1000 tonnes of clove while we imported 7,000 tonnes of it according to spice board of India. The active ingredient in clove, Eugenol is an analgesic (used widely to treat toothaches) has a very unique smell and taste. The flavour of cloves goes so well along with the other spices in this rustic chicken curry. I learnt this recipe from the chef at Tata Tea Plantations in Coorg.
Here is the video how to do a rustic Karnataka style koli saaru / Kozhi Saaru
Here is how to do a rustic Karnataka style koli saaru / Kozhi Saaru The recipe is traditionally made with nati koli / country chicken. The regular broiler chicken also works fine for this recipe.
The main thing in the curry is the masala. Here is what you will need.
Take a pan and add in a teaspoon of peanut oil and the dry spices. Also add in the garlic and ginger and roast for 3-4 minutes on a low flame till the spices are aromatic and the garlic is brown. Do not fry on a high flame as the spices will burn easily. Low and slow is the key when it comes to roasting spices. Set aside on a plate to cool.
In the same pan add in the onions and green chillies. Adjust the quantity of green chillies according to your taste. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Remove and set aside to cool. In the same pan add in the fresh shredded coconut and the coriander leaves. Saute for a few seconds till the leaves wilt. Set aside to cool.
Grind all the ingredients with about a cup of water to a smooth paste. Make sure to grind all the ingredients to a very fine paste. Set aside.
Take a pressure pan and add in the peanut oil. Add in the curry leaves, onions and tomatoes all at once. Add in the salt and turmeric powder. Saute for a few minutes. Cover the pan and cook on a low medium heat. The tomatoes will cook faster when covered with a lid due to the steam produced.
Add in the chicken. Broiler chicken or country chicken works fine. Traditionally nati koli / naatu kozhi / country chicken is preferred for this recipe. Toss the chicken well to coat. Add in the ground paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add back to the pan.
Add some more water as necessary for the chicken to cook. Cover the cooker with its lid and allow it to cook on the lowest flame possible for half an hour. The slow cooking enables developing the flavour of the curry. Ignore the number of whistles. Go with the timing. Let the curry simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure there is enough water so the curry does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
Fantastic nati koli saaru / chicken saaru is ready. Serve it with ragi mudde or rice .
For the masala paste
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 6 cloves
- 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 of an onion ( 1/4 cup )
- 10 green chillies
- 1 inch piece ginger, chopped
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup )
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 500 grams chicken with bone
- Take a pan and add in a teaspoon of peanut oil and the dry spices. Also add in the garlic and ginger and roast for 3-4 minutes on a low flame till the spices are aromatic and the garlic is brown. Do not fry on a high flame as the spices will burn easily. Low and slow is the key when it comes to roasting spices. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same pan add in the onions and green chillies. Adjust the quantity of green chillies according to your taste. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Remove and set aside to cool. In the same pan add in the fresh shredded coconut and the coriander leaves. Saute for a few seconds till the leaves wilt. Set aside to cool.
- Grind all the ingredients with about a cup of water to a smooth paste. Make sure to grind all the ingredients to a very fine paste.
- Take a pressure pan and add in the peanut oil. Add in the curry leaves, onions and tomatoes all at once. Add in the salt and turmeric powder. Saute for a few minutes. Cover the pan and cook on a low medium heat. The tomatoes will cook faster when covered with a lid due to the steam produced.
- Add in the chicken. Broiler chicken or country chicken works fine. Traditionally nati koli / naatu kozhi / country chicken is preferred for this recipe. Toss the chicken well to coat. Add in the ground paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add back to the pan.
- Add some more water as necessary for the chicken to cook. Cover the cooker and allow it to cook on the lowest flame possible for half an hour. The slow cooking enables developing the flavour of the curry. Ignore the number of whistles. Let the curry simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure there is enough water so the curry does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
- Fantastic nati koli saaru / chicken saaru is ready. Serve it with ragi mudde or rice.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Curry
- Cuisine: Karnataka
For the masala paste
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 6 cloves
- 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 of an onion ( 1/4 cup )
- 10 green chillies
- 1 inch piece ginger, chopped
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup )
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 500 grams chicken with bone
- Take a pan and add in a teaspoon of peanut oil and the dry spices. Also add in the garlic and ginger and roast for 3-4 minutes on a low flame till the spices are aromatic and the garlic is brown. Do not fry on a high flame as the spices will burn easily. Low and slow is the key when it comes to roasting spices. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same pan add in the onions and green chillies. Adjust the quantity of green chillies according to your taste. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Remove and set aside to cool. In the same pan add in the fresh shredded coconut and the coriander leaves. Saute for a few seconds till the leaves wilt. Set aside to cool.
- Grind all the ingredients with about a cup of water to a smooth paste. Make sure to grind all the ingredients to a very fine paste.
- Take a pressure pan and add in the peanut oil. Add in the curry leaves, onions and tomatoes all at once. Add in the salt and turmeric powder. Saute for a few minutes. Cover the pan and cook on a low medium heat. The tomatoes will cook faster when covered with a lid due to the steam produced.
- Add in the chicken. Broiler chicken or country chicken works fine. Traditionally nati koli / naatu kozhi / country chicken is preferred for this recipe. Toss the chicken well to coat. Add in the ground paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add back to the pan.
- Add some more water as necessary for the chicken to cook. Cover the cooker and allow it to cook on the lowest flame possible for half an hour. The slow cooking enables developing the flavour of the curry. Ignore the number of whistles. Let the curry simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure there is enough water so the curry does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
- Fantastic nati koli saaru / chicken saaru is ready. Serve it with ragi mudde or rice.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Curry
- Cuisine: Karnataka
Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/karnataka-style-koli-saaru-kozhi-saaru-chicken-curry-recipe/
Recipe for simple yard long beans stir fry – Mekaral Thel dala. Recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Yard long beans is called as karamani in Tamil. This is a simple Sri Lankan style Long beans stir fry tempered with spices in oil. The slow cooking of the long beans makes it very flavourful along with the spice powders. If you are watching out your oil intake, you can always use less oil.
Here is the video of Long Beans Thel Dala
Here is how to do Long Beans Thel dala
Heat oil in a heavy pan and add in the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and the fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the sliced garlic, chopped curry leaves and sliced onions. Add in a chopped tomato. Saute for a minute.
Wash and clean the yard long beans. Snip of the ends, cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Add in the chopped long beans.
Add in the turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and curry powder. Add in the salt. Toss well to combine.
Reduce the flame to low and cover the pan with a lid. We have not added any water. The moisture from the veggies will be enough. If you feel that the veggies are scorching at the bottom, then add in few tablespoons of water. Do not add more. Add in half a teaspoon of red chilli flakes half way through. Adjust the chilli flakes according to your spice levels. Let the veggies cook in the pan covered for 10 minutes on a low flame. Toss the ingredients once in five minutes to avoid the veggies from burning at the bottom.
After ten minutes, scrape of the masalas sticking at the bottom with a spatula. Cook again with a covered lid for 3-4 minutes. If the mixture is very dry, sprinkle a little water.
Tasty long beans stir fry is ready. This is usually served as a side dish with rice and curry.
- 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3 - 4 fenugreek seeds
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup onions, sliced
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (any store bought variety is fine)
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 250 grams yard long beans (about 2 cups chopped beans)
Heat oil in a heavy pan and add in the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and the fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the sliced garlic, chopped curry leaves and sliced onions. Add in a chopped tomato. Saute for a minute.
Wash and clean the yard long beans. Snip of the ends, cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Add in the chopped long beans.
Add in the turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and curry powder. Add in the salt. Toss well to combine.
Reduce the flame to low and cover the pan with a lid. We have not added any water. The moisture from the veggies will be enough. If you feel that the veggies are scorching at the bottom, then add in few tablespoons of water. Do not add more. Add in half a teaspoon of red chilli flakes half way through. Adjust the chilli flakes according to your spice levels. Let the veggies cook in the pan covered for 10 minutes on a low flame. Toss the ingredients once in five minutes to avoid the veggies from burning at the bottom.
After ten minutes, scrape of the masalas sticking at the bottom with a spatula. Cook again with a covered lid for 3-4 minutes. If the mixture is very dry, sprinkle a little water.
Tasty long beans stir fry is ready. This is usually served as a side dish with rice and curry.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Sri Lanka
