Recipe
Why make it
A South Indian chicken curry built on freshly roasted and ground black pepper, fennel, coriander and dried red chillies, finished with coconut. It is dark, fragrant and pleasantly peppery, and it is worth making for the…
Serves 5
+ 17 more in the full recipe
Step 1 of 11
Mix the chicken with yogurt, turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and leave it to marinate while you prepare the masala.
Step 2 of 11
Heat a small dry pan over medium-low heat. Add the dried chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, fennel, cumin, poppy seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 2 mi…
Step 3 of 11
Add the desiccated coconut to the same pan and toast for 30 seconds until pale golden. Tip everything onto a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
Step 4 of 11
Grind the cooled spices and coconut to a fine powder. Blend with 4 tablespoons of water to make a thick, slightly coarse paste.
Step 5 of 11
Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, the extra teaspoon of fennel and the curry leaves. Let them sizzle for 15 seconds until crackling.
The last 6 steps are in the full recipe.
Cook’s tip
Toast the spices on gentle heat and keep them moving. Scorched pepper and fennel turn bitter and cannot be rescued.
Ready to cook?
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