Chicken Kurma is a mild, creamy coconut flavored gravy. Korma / kurma is a Mughlai dish, mostly made with any form of meat or vegetable or combination of both, where yogurt is primarily added for flavor and richness. A typical South Indian style kurma is slightly different, its definitely spiced or fiery and brings in richness from the ground coconut and nuts. Kurma is an one time affair in a week at our home, be it chapati, parotta or rice. My mom and mil are experts in making their own style, and this recipe is a combo of both flavors , do check the notes for options. I love this dish when served with flaky parottas… at the same time it also works for plain rice with some fried fish on the side!
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Chicken Kurma | Kozhi Kari Kurma | சிக்கன் குருமா
Ingredients
For Gravy
- 1/2 kg Chicken whole cut or boneless (whole cut country chicken preferred)
- 1 cup Onion small onion / pearl onion / sambar onion
- 2 Green chili slit open (add dry red chilies instead )
- 1/2 cup Tomato
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 small Bay leaf
- 4 each Cloves
- 2 1 inch Cinnamon
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 petals Black stone flower / kalpasi optional
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Red Chili powder hot variety
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder or All purpose curry powder ( kuzhambu milagai thool ) *** refer notes
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1/4 cup Coriander leaves for garnish
- 4 leaves Curry leaves
- 1 cup Water
For Coconut Paste (refer notes for alternatives)
- 1/2 cup Fresh grated coconut
- 4 whole Cashew nut
- 1 tsp Poppy seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1/2 cup Water
Instructions
- To start with first grind coconut, fennel, poppy seeds and cashew with some water and make a thick paste.
- Chop all the veggies and keep them ready. Clean and chicken, wash and keep it ready. Chicken can be marinated with little turmeric and salt but not really necessary.
- Heat oil and ghee in a sauce pan and splutter cumin and fennel seeds. Also add the whole dry garam masalas like bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, black stone flower, cinnamon & curry leaves.
- Saute onions & green chilli until golden brown. I have used combination if sambar onions and regular onions.
- Add ginger garlic paste and saute till it cooks a bit.
- Now add tomatoes along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Bring the flame to medium, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. The chicken will release water and cook along with the onion mixture.
- Saute until the masala powder cooks. Add water at this stage. Now bring the flame to medium low setting, cover and cook the gravy for 10 minutes. Alternatively you may pressure cook for 2 whistles.
- Once done, the oil will separate from the gravy as shown.
- Once done, add the coconut paste, throw in the coriander leaves and curry leaves. Simmer for few minutes and switch off!
- Serve as a side for chapati or have it with plain rice and curry!
Notes
Thengai Paal Kozhi Kuzhambu – Coconut Milk Chicken Curry
Andhra Green Chili Chicken Curry
Karuveppilai Chicken – Curry Leaves Chicken Curry
Instructions
-
To start with first grind coconut, fennel, poppy seeds and cashew with some water and make a thick paste.
-
Chop all the veggies and keep them ready. Clean and chicken, wash and keep it ready. Chicken can be marinated with little turmeric and salt but not really necessary.
-
Heat oil and ghee in a sauce pan and splutter cumin and fennel seeds. Also add the whole dry garam masalas like bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, black stone flower, cinnamon & curry leaves.
-
Saute onions & green chilli until golden brown. I have used combination if sambar onions and regular onions.
-
Add ginger garlic paste and saute till it cooks a bit.
-
Now add tomatoes along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Bring the flame to medium, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. The chicken will release water and cook along with the onion mixture.
-
Saute until the masala powder cooks. Add water at this stage. Now bring the flame to medium low setting, cover and cook the gravy for 10 minutes. Alternatively you may pressure cook for 2 whistles.
-
Once done, the oil will separate from the gravy as shown.
-
Once done, add the coconut paste, throw in the coriander leaves and curry leaves. Simmer for few minutes and switch off!
-
Serve as a side for chapati or have it with plain rice and curry!
Notes
***Coriander powder can be replaced with all purpose curry powder which adds more flavor and thickness to the gravy. Our homestyle chicken kuzhambu always include this kuzhambu milagai thool which is combo of variety of spices roasted and ground into fine powder.
My mil’s version includes fennel seeds as well as little pottukadalai / roasted gram while grinding coconut and also she adds in few mint leaves while finishing up the gravy for added flavor. Also she is old school never uses premade ginger garlic paste, she likes to add crushed ginger and garlic. My mom uses just the poppy seeds and cashews while grinding coconut and garnish with just curry & coriander leaves and drizzles ghee at the end. I like both versions and play with the ingredients for a taste of both.
This kurma taste awesome with naatu kozhi or country chicken. Boneless works but not that tasty though! Make sure to grind the cashew and poppy seeds well to make a smooth paste. Sambar onion or pearl onion.
Comments
22 responses to “Chicken Kurma Recipe | சிக்கன் குருமா”
If we use a pressure cooker at what stage do we use it? And how much water is required?
Today we tried this recipe. It came out very well. Thanks and keep going……….
Mullai,
Can you please post the typical hotel’s dosai and idly in Madras. I am sure they are adding something that tastes different than homemade ones. And I am longing to eat with the thengai chuteny sold in those railway station platforms. Ohhhh I can still smell that aroma from those chutneys. I tried your Rathna cafe sambar it was out of the world and I make that all the time for my dosais.
Thanks in advance,
VRS
Hi Mullai,
Thank you. Tried for the first time, cameout with great taste. Taste matches my mother and chithi’s kuruma. Thanks again.
hi mullai,i tried kurma yesterday and it was awesome.thank you very much to post such a wonderful recipe mullai.
Mullai,
Due to heavy demand from family, I had to make this the third time today.. hats off !!!
Regs
Jaya
Hi Mullai,
Kurma came out great.Thanks a ton for posting all these great recipes.
thanks mullai
hi mullai how r u.where do you get the chicken. i bought fresh ones twice but it was not good because it was layer type. can u tell me where we can get good one. sorry for asking such a silly question.help me.
Radhika,
I normally buy mine in bulk from Sams club. Either tyson or Members mark whichever is available at store. Fresh chicken might be good, but, will have to make a trip to the grocery store every week, which I would like to avoid. The reason being that I would end up buying a lot more of other things out of temptation.
Hi Mrs Mullai, Can I use vegetables instead of chicken for this recipe?
Latha, you can use mixed vegetables or if you wish go with any one veggie, then try Brinjal, Potato, Cauliflower, zucchini, Tomato, the list goes on…Try and let me know.
Hi Mrs Mullai,
Tried this recipe with mix vegetables as you suggested, taste was very good, my husband liked it very much. But it was a little spicy for us, I normally reduce the red chili powder but I forgot to do the same with this recipe, anyhow the next time I will reduce it. Thank you very much for the recipe and for your quick reply as well.
Thanks dear.
How many people will this recipe serve for?
Natasha,
This should serve 3 to 4 people.
Hi Mullai,
Do ur recipes include fresh chicken or frozen ones? The procedure mentions to cook the gravy for 10 mts will that do for the chicken to get cooked? How long approximately should I let the gravy to boil after adding the coconut milk?
Regarding the chicken Biriyani recipe the cup measure of rice does it mean the cup that comes along with the rice cooker?Please clear my questions.
Thanks
Hi Mullai, Your recipes are awesome. I tried the pattani kurma which came out to be really delicious. I have a doubt regarding chicken kurma. Please let me know if we need to marinate chicken for this dish. Also should we add ground cocunut instead of milk. I followed the exact instructions but unfortunately for me, The chicken did not get the masala and the cocunut milk did not thicken the korma.
Thanks
Madan Venugopal,
There is no harm in marinating chicken with little turmeric and salt, but not really necessary. Same way adding ground coconut is also ok, my recipe calls for coconut milk bcos, I like it like a stew…. If you need very thick consistency then add ground coconut or thick coconut milk or combination of both. Normally kurma in our side (Chennai) means something thicker than stew, that's why the chicken looks pale yellow with little masala sticking to it. Whereas the same looks like a curry in Andhra. Its a matter of personal preference too, so adjust according to your taste.
Hi Mullai, You are doing great. I luv your website. This is one which impressed me a lot and to check regularly. All ur receipes are tasty. how to make chicken kurma with curd? reply me.
Thank you Sankari, keep visiting for more exciting recipes. Actually tasted one such in a restaurant, they served it with chapatti, was literally looking white in colour. Will somehow mange to explore it and get back to you when I post it.
Came out great. Thanks for the recipe Mullai.