Xacuti Chicken

Brian Holley's Note:

Famous Goan dish, maybe you have eaten this while on your trip to India. Tender chicken in a wonderfully fragrant sauce. This is a medium curry, it could if you like take a little more chilli. If you don't have tamarind, the use of a quarter of a lemon will do. Sorry; but the photograph doesn't do the dish justice.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 lbs skinless chicken , and cut into large pieces
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
• 6 garlic cloves , chopped
• 5 dried red chilies , chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon onion seeds
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 6 cloves
• 2 inches cinnamon sticks , broken up
• 4 star anise
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 medium onions , chopped
• salt
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (or lemon)
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. In a pan, heat a tbsp of the oil and lightly fry the coconut. When brown remove from the heat and put in into your blender.
2. To the blender, add ALL of the spices and the garlic,add a little water, blend to make a smoothish paste.
3. In the same pan heat the remaining oil and fry the onions till well browned.
4. Add the spice mix (masala) that you blended, to the onions and fry till fragrant.
5. Add the chicken and 2 cups of water, stir to blend all together. season with salt.
6. Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 30 mins till chicken is tender.
7. Stir in the nutmeg. Adjust seasoning to your taste.
8. Serve hot with a rice dish, and, a vegetable curry.

Reviews

[chefabilitysioux]

This is a fun dish to do have done variations a few times.Today I used a mixture of skin on,bone in and skin off, boned chicken.I needed to run the larder down a bit so I used 1tbsp powdered coconut instead of desicated,3 birds eye chillies and a little extra water and some ground almonds,fabulous smells in house . served with fennel rice,tarka dahl and mixed vegtable curry.Will be even better warmed up tomorrow