Chicken sukka / chukka recipe | Dry Chicken with coconut

"Chicken Sukka / Chukka" refers to a South Indian meat dish, Ingredients and produce are similar yet each region has many signature dishes to offer. This recipe comes from my Aunt, she used to prepare it with Mutton. You can try with all kind of meat, I tried with boneless chicken.

Morsels of chicken fried over a low flame with grated coconut and spices.The coconut in this recipe is not overwhelming and works beautifully with the chicken. I would say, coconut is the key ingredient apart from meat.Try it out, I'm sure you are gonna love it!!!

Ingredient:

300 grms Chicken
1 tblsp coriander powder
1 tblsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
1/4 cup water
oil

Wet Ingredients:

1 medium size Onion
1 small Tomato
2-3 Garlic cloves
1 inch Ginger
2-3 sprig Curry leaves
1/2 cup Coriander leaves ( or handful)
2 Cloves
1/2 inch Cinnamon bark
2 Cardamom pods
3 tblsp shredded Coconut ( fresh or dry)

Method:

• In a pan add little oil, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, garlic and onion. Saute for few seconds or till onion turns little golden brown.
• Then add tomato, shredded coconut and coriander leaves. Saute for 1 minute ensure that you regularly keep stirring as the coconut can easily stick to the bottom of the pan. Once done turn off the flame and keep it aside. Once it cools down add little water and make a paste.Wet masala can easily be prepared in advance and freezes well.
• Heat little oil in a kadai/pan, add the paste and stir,be careful as the masala may splatter. Again ensure that you stir the masala occasionally or it will burn.
• Once the masala oozes oil, lower the flame and add red chilli powder, garam masala and coriander powder.
• Add chicken pieces and some curry leaves. Mix well and coat all the chicken pieces with the masala.
• Since this is a dry dish add very little water around 1/4 cup or 3 tblsp. Mix and cover the pan with a lid and cook.
• Once the chicken pieces becomes succulent, add leftover curry leaves on top mix again for few seconds. Then switch off the flame.
• Serve with steamed rice or roti.

Pictorial:

                                                      Get all wet ingredients ready.

In a pan add little oil, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, garlic and onion. Saute for few seconds or till onion turns little golden brown.

Then add tomato, shredded coconut and coriander leaves. Saute for 1 minute ensure that you regularly keep stirring as the coconut can easily stick to the bottom of the pan. Once done turn off the flame and keep it aside. Once it cools down add little water and make a paste.Wet masala can easily be prepared in advance and freezes well.

Heat little oil in a kadai/pan, add the paste and stir,be careful as the masala may splatter. Again ensure that you stir the masala occasionally or it will burn.

Once the masala oozes oil, lower the flame and add red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala.

Add chicken pieces and some curry leaves. Mix well and coat all the chicken pieces with the masala.

Since this is a dry dish add very little around 1/4 cup or 3 tblsp of water. Mix and cover the pan with a lid and cook.

Once the chicken pieces becomes succulent, add leftover curry leaves on top mix again for few seconds. Then switch off the flame.

                                                            Serve with steamed rice.