MOROCCAN CHICKEN CURRY RECIPE

Moroccan cuisine tastes like is a mild version of Indian food. Indian and Moroccan dishes use a similar medley of spices including cumin, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron.  This recipe is actually prepared by my husband. He is an amazing cook who tries hands in different cuisines.  

This is a super spicy chicken recipe, goes with steamed rice or with any kind of roti. Freshly roasted and grounded spices added in this recipe brings that spicy taste. I was not able to take step by step photos of the recipe as I was checking on the procedure to cook this. 

Ingredients :  

• 4 Thigh Piece Chicken 
• 2 Onion Sliced 
• 5 Garlic Chopped 
• 3 Tomatoes 
• Coriander Leaves Chopped 
• 3 Tsp of Coconut Oil 

For Masala Powder  

• 2 Tsp of Coriander seeds
• 2 Tsp of Cumin seeds 
• 1 Tsp of Black Pepper  
• 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon powder 
• 10 Dried Red Chilli 
• 1/4 tsp of Turmeric Powder  
• Salt 

Method : 

For Masala Powder : 

• Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned for "masala powder" on a medium flame for about 5 minutes 
• Allow it to cool down and transfer int a mixer 
• Ground into a fine powder 
• Add half of the masala powder to the chicken pieces and mix well. Leave this marinate for 20 minutes 

For Tomato purée : 

• Cook the tomatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until they've released some of their juices and are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Cool the tomatoes for another 5 to 10 minutes and remove the skin 
• Then puree with immersion blender or transfer to a blender and process until smooth.

For Curry :

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, add coconut oil and place the marinated chicken pieces 
• Cook it on a medium flame for 5 minutes 
• Once the chicken is half done, add the sliced onion and mix well 
• Let the onion get roasted well then add chopped garlic and cover cook for 3 minutes 
• Now add the tomato puree and check for salt 
• Let this boil for a couple of minutes and then add the remaining masala powder 
• Cover cook for 5 minutes 
• Add chopped coriander leaves and cook for 2 minutes 
• Serve hot 

I served this Moroccan chicken curry with some matta rice and rasam. 

 

MASALA URULAI ROAST / MASALA POTATO ROAST RECIPE

Masala Urulai roast recipe is made with baby potatoes and freshly prepared dry roasted masala. You can also try this recipe with a regular potato. This is a perfect side dish for rasam sadam / rasam rice, curd rice / thayir sadam or any vegetable meals. The dry roasted masala adds additional flavour to this recipe. You can ground this masala and store it in an air-tight container, but I like to prepare it instantly.  

Category: Side Dish 

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 2 

Total Time: 30 mins

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time:  20  mins

INGREDIENTS

For dry roast  masala

• 4 dried red chillies
• 1/2 Tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 Tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 Tsp cumin seeds  
  

Other Ingredients 

• 1 Cup Boiled Baby Potatoes 
• 3 Tsp Gingelly Oil 
• ½ Tsp mustard seeds
• ½ Tsp Cumin Seeds 
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 5 Garlic Chopped 
• 6-8 Shallots Chopped 
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Paste / Powder 
• Salt for Taste

To make Masala Urulai roast recipe / Masala Potato Roast Recipe  at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Method : 

1. Dry roast all the masala ingredients on medium flame 
   
2. Grind to a coarse powder 
   
3. Heat oil in a pan/kadai and when the oil is shimmering add in the mustard seeds. Then add in the cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let the mustard splutter. 
   
4. Add garlic and onions and fry till golden brown. 
   
5. Add boiled baby potatoes ( pressure cooked with salt for 3 whistles)  
   
6. Add in the ground masala and turmeric paste/powder 
   
7. Add salt required for the recipe 
8. Cook in medium flame for 3 minutes until the raw smell disappears. 
   
9. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes until the potatoes get crisp 
   
10. Remove from heat and serve hot 

HOMEMADE SAMBAR POWDER RECIPE

Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable recipe cooked with a tamarind broth. Sambar contains sambar powder, a coarse spice mix made of roasted lentils, dried whole red chillies, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and sometimes asafoetida and curry leaves. Regional variations include cumin, black pepper, grated coconut, cinnamon, or other spices.

This Sambar Powder is easy to prepare and tastes delicious. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 1 Cup  

Total Time: 30 mins

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time:  20 mins

 To make Sambar Powder at home follow the detailed step by step recipe posted below

 Ingredients: 

• Coriander seeds - 4 tbsp
• Red Chilli - 17 nos 
• Chana Dal - 2 tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Peppercorns - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 Tsp
• A few Curry leaves
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coconut Oil - few drops 

Method : 

1. Roast Coriander seeds till light brown in colour.
2. Roast about long dried Red Chilli and keep it aside.
3. Roast Chana Dal on medium flame.
4. Roast Urad Dal until golden brown and place it over the other roasted ingredients. 
5. Cumin seeds roast very fast. so be cautious & don't burn it
6. Separately roast Black Peppercorns, Fenugreek seeds and Mustard seeds.
7. Now add few drops of coconut oil and roast few Curry leaves.
8. Now, turn off the stove & then add 1/2 tbsp of Turmeric powder and 1/2 tbsp of Asafoetida powder. Roast for few seconds and add it to the other ingredients. 
9. Let the roasted ingredients cool down completely.
10. Grind them into a fine powder.

Homemade Sambar powder is ready.  Let it cool down & store in an airtight container. 

MALABAR MEEN CURRY / MALABAR FISH CURRY

Malabar Style Meen Curry / Malabar Style Fish curry is prepared with spices, Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) and coconut milk. Many versions are there in preparing this curry, this time I tried to prepare with dried red chilli and tomato paste instead of chilli powder. This curry is best to be served with steamed rice, dosai, idli, appam or idiyappam. Not too spicy since we are adding coconut milk. 

Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) makes this curry more delicious if you are not able to get this can replace with regular tamarind water.  

Wash kudampuli in water to remove the dirt, and then soak in hot water. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Kerala, Indian

Servings: 4 

Total Time: 30 mins

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time:  20 mins

Ingredients : 

• 1/2 Kg Fish 
• 1 Onion Chopped 
• 1 Tomato Chopped 
• 2 Tablespoon Ginger Chopped 
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Turmeric Powder 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cumin Powder 
• 2 Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) 
• 1/4 Teaspoon Fenugreek 
• Salt to taste 
• 3 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 

For Red Paste : 

• 10 Dried Red Chillies 
• 1 Tomato 

 To make Malabar Style Meen Curry / Malabar Style Fish curry at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Step By Step Picture Instructions : 

• Soak dried red chilli in hot water for 10 minutes 
  
• Drain and add them in a mixer along with chopped tomato 
  
• Retain this water for curry 
• Blend them into a fine paste and keep aside 
  
• In an earthen pot or heavy bottomed vessel, add coconut oil and heat on medium flame 
  
• Temper with fenugreek 
• Add finely chopped ginger and roast for a minute 
  
• Add chopped onion and fry until soft 
  
• Add the red paste to the onion and mix well 
  
• To this mixture, add turmeric powder and coriander powder 
  
• Mix them all together and cook in low flame until oil separates 
  
• Add chopped tomatoes and mix well 
  
• Season with salt required for the curry 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Add the soaked water and kudmapuli to the curry 
  
• Bring it to boil 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Add the fish pieces and cook on a medium flame 
  
• Once the fish is cooked well, add coconut milk and reduce flame 
  
• Cook the curry for 2-3 minutes and turn off heat 
  
• Serve hot 
  

ERACHI CURRY / CHICKEN CURRY

This erachi / chicken curry is one of my favourite chicken recipes. This actually has two versions - one version I learned from my mom and the other from my mother-in-law. Both are awesome cooks and makes delicious traditional recipes. My Mother-in-law still grinds each and every masala in “Ammi”. She always quotes that ”when any curry is cooked in manchatti (earthen pot) and masala grounded in Ammi that recipe tastes more delicious”. But it’s true. The recipe I'm sharing in this post is my Mother-in-law version erachi curry or else I can say my husbandman’s favourite erachi curry. 

This recipe is the coconut based recipe and can be served with idli, dosai, appam, idiyappam or steamed rice. In my cooking, I cant skip coconut, coconut oil and curry leaves. If you are not a lover of coconut oil, you can use any oil of your choice.  

I'm using boneless chicken, you can use chicken pieces with bone and this same recipe you can try with mutton. If you are trying with mutton, pressure cook mutton with turmeric powder, salt and ginger garlic paste, and then add to the curry. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 

Total Time: 40 mins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time:  25 mins

Ingredients : 

For Coconut Paste : 

• 1 Cup grated coconut 
• 6 Shallots 
• 2 Tablespoon Chilli Powder 
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder 
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 1 Green Cardamom 
• 3 Cloves 

For Curry : 

• 500 grams Chicken 
• 10-15 Shallots 
• 7 Garlic 
• 1 Inch Ginger 
• 1/2 tablespoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 2 Bay leaf 
• 1 clove 
• 1 Green Cardamom 
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 

To make erachi curry / Chicken Curry at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Step By Step Picture Instructions : 

For Marination : 

• In a mixer, add ginger and garlic, make a fine paste 
  
• To the chicken pieces, add half of ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Leave this covered for 10-15  minutes 
  

For Coconut Paste : 

• In a pan, add grated coconut and shallots 
  
• Add cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves 
  
• Start to roast them on medium flame 
  
• Roast until the coconut turns golden brown ( this takes almost 10 minutes ) 
  
• Add chilli and coriander powder to the coconut 
  
• Mix them well and roast for another 2-3 minutes on low flame 
  
• Don't burn them 
  
• Keep the roasted coconut aside till it cools down 
  
• In a mixer, add the roasted mixture and ground to the fine paste by adding little water 
  

Keep this coconut paste separate 

For Curry : 

• In a pressure cooker, add oil and temper bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves 
  
• Add shallots and roast for 2 minutes 
  
• Add the remaining ginger garlic paste and roast until the raw smell disappears 
  
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well 
  
• Add salt required for the curry 
  
• Now add the coconut paste to the chicken 
  
• Add water and mix well, and pressure cook for 2 whistles 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Serve hot