A Traditional Kerala Style Recipe to Make Chicken Stew

The Kerala Style Chicken Stew is a rich mildly flavoured dish where the chicken is cooked with a few vegetables and whole spices like peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon. This thick subtly flavoured dish is finished with coconut milk making it a wonderful way to start your day or for the Sunday brunch menu.

The Origin of the Chicken Stew

Kerala is known to be the land of coconuts. The chicken stew cooked in thin and thick coconut milk is a dish that brings in all the flavours of the land. The Chicken Stew or Kozhi (meaning chicken in Malayalam) Istu, is a dish that finds its origins in Kerala Christian homes and has gone on to achieve universal appeal. It is a must on the Kerala Christian home Christmas menu. The Kerala Chicken stew is generally served with lacy Appams or Idiappams.

What chicken should you choose to make the Kerala Chicken Stew

The Kerala Chicken Stew or Kozhi Istu is a mildly flavoured dish and the bone in the pieces of the chicken will add more to its flavour with the chicken juices. However, you can also make it with the Zorabian boneless chicken breasts if you like it without bones.

Zorabian chicken, being antibiotic-free farm fresh chicken definitely adds to the taste of your chicken stew. This is a recipe that will combine the goodness of taste and health with Zorabian chicken online. The chicken stew is a quick and easy recipe that you can make any time and are sure to fall in love with. With Zorabian chicken delivery online now you can just order the chicken on the website and get ready with your preparations for making the dish. With delivery at your doorstep, you can cook and enjoy every meal.

How to make the Kerala Style Chicken Stew?

Ingredients

• Chicken approximately 500 gms: Ease your cooking process with Zorabian Curry Cut Chicken or Boneless Chicken
• Ginger 1-inch piece (cut into juliennes)
• Green chillies 3 to 4 (slit)
• Curry leaves – 10 to 15
• 1 Potato (chopped into cubes)
• 1 Carrot (cut long or in rounds)
• 2 Green cardamom
• 2 Cloves
• 1 small piece of Cinnamon
• 1 tsp of Ghee
• 2 Onions (cut thin and long)
• 1 tbsp of Coconut oil
• 2 cups of Coconut milk thin
• 1 cup of Coconut milk thick
• 1 tsp of Cashew and raisins – optional
• 4 to 5 Shallots (cut into thin slices)

Method

1. Take a pan and add the coconut oil. Now add in the chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, and half the curry leaves. Saute till the onions turn soft but do not let the colour of the onions turn brown.
2. Add in the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, and saute for a minute. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Now add the cubed potatoes and carrots and mix.
3. Add the thin coconut milk and mix. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook.
4. Cook on medium flame till the potato, carrots, and chicken is well done. You can also use the pressure cooker for cooking wherein you will be able to save time.
5. Open and cook on low flame. Add in the thick coconut milk and adjust the salt. Switch off the flame. After adding the thick milk just heat it, do not boil or the coconut milk will curdle.
6. For tempering (optional but will enhance the taste), take a small pan and add the ghee. Add the shallots and fry till golden brown. Now add in the cashews and raisins and fry for a minute. Pour into your stew. Add the remaining curry leaves. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Serve hot with appams or idiyappam for an authentic Kerala meal experience. 

Tips for cooking

1. Cook the chicken in only thin coconut milk or else it will curdle in the cooking process.
2. Add the thick coconut milk only at the end. Once the thick coconut milk is added, only heat it on low flame. Do not boil or else it will curdle.
3. Adding cashews, raisins, and tempering is optional but will definitely add to the rich taste of your stew.
4. Adding a tsp of ghee for tempering or at the end (if not tempering) and covering for 10 minutes before serving will allow all the flavours to be soaked in well.
5. You can use fresh coconut milk for the recipe which is the best and also natural. If not available you can use coconut milk powder or readymade coconut milk and use as specified on the packet.
6. Cook with coconut oil for an authentic flavour and taste.

Do try it and share your pictures with the Zorabian Instagram Page. Buy your Zorabian chicken boneless or the pre-cut chicken of your choice from our online store or general trade partners and enjoy your favourite chicken dishes with friends and family. We bring you a number of melt-in-your-mouth chicken recipes, Do check the Zorabian blog for more recipes that you will love cooking.