Have you ever tried Chicken-Kozhi Kumbalanga Curry( Chicken with Ash Gourd in it)?
If your answer is an all-knowing yes, I guess there must smile on your face as how curry would taste! Yum!:-) Well, if you haven’t, what better time to try something new?
Chicken-Kozhi Kumbalanga Curry(Ash Gourd Chicken Curry) is another specialty of the Thrissur cuisine. Now I see a few raised eyebrows about what ashgourd with chicken? Trust me floks! It’s good one for sure. A great pair for rice, Appam, Puttu and easy to put together.
The whole inspiration behind making this curry is from Kavitha Nair, loyal reader and one of the few friends, I got through this humble space. She actively engages in my facebook fan page and often send me interesting recipe links. One such recipe is this, she saw this recipe in a cooking video and requested me to post it here.
At the very mention of this chicken-kozhi kumbalanga, I remember my MIL preparing this and in no time I called her and jot down the recipe. In our house we call this curry kumbalanga erachi curry.Though the ingredients are same; the recipe given by my amma is little different from the one Kavitha had sent me. Each one has unique taste according to the way of preparation of each home.
Today I would love to share both methods; my MIL recipe and one adapted from cooking video.The first method is my family recipe, one very popular and regular version in all homes with roasted spices along with coconut paste and the second one, more or less the same of the first, but consisting of tomato and it doesn’t call for and grounded coconut.I feel my amma method; making them is simple enough, but involves little grinding works and 2nd method is easy one. Either way, it tastes yummy! Do try both methods and let me know which one works best for me. Enjoy!
Other Chicken Curry Recipes You Might Also Like :
Varutharacha Chicken-Kozhi Curry -Kerala Chicken Curry
Malaysian Chicken Curry -Kari Ayam
Nadan Chicken Curry – Kerala Chicken Curry
Saagwala Murg Recipe -Palak Chicken Curry
How to make Chicken-Kozhi Kumbalanga Curry Recipe – Thrissur Special | Chicken with Ash Gourd Curry -Kerala Style
Chicken-Kozhi Kumbalanga Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- To Marinate :
- Chicken with bones :1.1 lb /1/2 kg (cut into medium-sized
- Chicken Masala Powder : 1 tbsp I used skathi chicken masala (refer notes)
- To Dry Roast :
- Whole Coriander Seeds : 21/2 tsp
- Dry Red Chilli : 5-6 or to your tolerances level
- Turmeric Powder : couple of pinches
- To Fry and Grind :
- Cloves : 2
- Cardamom : 2
- Star Anise : little
- Bay Leaves : 1
- Cinnamom : 1/2' piece
- Fennel seeds : 1 tsp
- Poppy seeds : 1/2 tsp
- Black Pepper : 1/4 tsp
- Small Red Onion /Shallots : 4-5
- Garlic : 2-3 cloves
- Ginger : 1 small piece
- Green Chilly : 1-2
- Grated Coconut : 21/2 tbsp
- Coconut Oil : 1 tsp
- For Gravy/Curry :
- Ash gourd/Kumbalanga : 1.1lb/1/2 kg
- Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Onion : 1 medium thinly sliced
- Curry Leaves : 1 sprig
- Thin Coconut Milk - 3rd extract /Moonampaal : 1 cup
- Semi Thick Coconut milk - 2nd extract /Randampaal : 3/4 cup
- Thick Coconut milk - 1st extract/Onnampaal : 1/4 cup
- For Tempering :
- Coconut Oil : 1 tbsp
- Small Red Onion /Shallots : 6-8 finely sliced
- Dry Red Chillies : 2-3
- Curry Leaves : 1 sprig
- Kashmiri Chilly powder : Couple of pinches
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken pieces with chicken masala for 20 to 30 minutes and set it aside.
- Peel and chop the kumbalanga/ashgourd into medium long pieces.
- Add turmeric powder and salt to taste to the ash gourd; boil and keep it aside.(Note : Care should be taken to see that the ash gourd is not overcooked.)
- Meantime in a small frying pan; dry roast the ingredients listed above "To Dry Roast"; transfer and grind it to smooth powder.Set it aside.
- In the same pan with 1 tsp coconut oil and add all spice ingredients except grated coconut, listed above "To fry and Grind"; transfer and grind it along with grated coconut to smooth paste and keep it aside.
- Heat a pan (preferably in 'Kalchatti' an earthen pot); add sprig of curry leaves, the ground spice powders and the marinated chicken pieces; combine well. Add thin coconut milk,salt to taste and cook it for 10 to 15 mins or until chicken is 3/4th cooked..
- When the chicken is done; add the semi thick coconut milk - 2nd extract /randampaal along with sliced onions and boiled ash gourd; mix everything well and cook it for 10 more mins.
- Now add the ground coconut mixture and adjust the salt; allow to boil well.
- Add thick coconut milk - 1st extract /onnampaal and remove from fire just before boiling.
- In a small frying pan; heat coconut oil and saute finely sliced shallots, curry leaves,dry red chillies. When done add chilly powder saute and saute till it turns to light brown (Note : Make sure not to burn the spices.)and add to the curry...Serve with piping hot plain boiled rice or with Appam, Puttu and Enjoy!
Notes
Keep this curry closed for at least 10-20 minutes before serving, so that the gravy absorbs all flavors.
The taste of the curry depends the quality of the coconut milk. I prefer using fresh squeezed coconut milk.
Using freshly ground spice powders and coconut oil enhance the authentic taste and flavor.
Learn How to cook Chicken-Kozhi Kumbalanga Curry | Chicken Ash Gourd Curry :
1. Heat a pan (preferably in ‘Kalchatti’ an earthen pot); add sprig of curry leaves,crushed ginger, crushed garlic,green chilles, and sliced onion. Saute well till the onion become light brown in color.
2. Add garam masala (leaving ½ behind for final sprinkling) and all other spice powders and sauté for couple of minutes. (Note : Take care not to burn the spices, add few drops of water to avoid burning the spices.)
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till turns to soft and mushy.
4. Add the chicken pieces,salt to taste, combine well; close and cook on medium fire till the chicken is half-cooked.
5. Add the chopped ash gourd and the semi thick coconut milk – 2nd extract /randampaal. Increase the fire; adjust the salt; cover and cook till it done.
6. Add thick coconut milk – 1st extract /onnampaal and reamining garam masala powder; mix well and remove from fire just before boiling.
7. In a small frying pan; heat coconut oil and sauté finely sliced shallots, curry leaves,dry red chillies. When done add chilly powder sauté and sauté till it turns to light brown (Note : Make sure not to burn the spices.)and add to the curry…Serve with piping hot plain boiled rice or with Appam, Puttu and Enjoy!
If you haven’t tried this combination chicken with ash-gourd (Chicken-Kozhi Kumbalanga Curry) then it is a must try! Do let me know…would love to know your opinion.
Happy Cooking and Happy Eating!
Sangeetha
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We make this quite often, I would like to mention a few variations in our homes. My mom used to mention this is a poor man's curry, as the cheap kumbalanga is used to increase the quantity, which in turn can feed a large family gathering. At those times chicken pieces goes to the guests & men in the family, women & kids satisfy with the gravy & kumbalanga. In the same note, no coconut milk is added to this curry, the gravy comes purely from amount of ground coconut.Also coconut is fried along with masala, which enhances the flavor. Chicken is not marinated in masala (maybe just the masala you fried first, salt etc), but since its cooked in the masalas, it comes out perfect.Also always I have seen kumbalanga cooked with chicken, so the veg absorbs the fat & tastes excellent. Also I have not seen adding dry chilli in the tempering. I guess each home the recipe differ, but these are from our family. Thanks for posting this curry!
Hi Krishna Das, Thanks for your comment 🙂 Did you get a chance to try it? If so, I do hope you liked it.Do revert to me with feedback.
Cheers!
Sangeetha
I remember my Christmas and Easter celebrations in childhood. Yes, I am from Thrissur.
Hey Sangeetha ..its really different one …sure i am gonna try this…thanks for such a kidu dish…
Thanks Priya!…do try this,its really a good one for sure.
Very different curry,never cooked chicken with ashgourd like this..Delicious curry.