Chicken kolhapuri recipe: authentic kolhapuri chicken masala
Kolhapuri chicken is a popular dish originating from the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra. This dish is a part of Kolhapuri cuisine, which is famous for its spiciness. Kolhapuri masala, needed for this dish, is made from many spices roasted and blended together. Kolhapuri masala gives this dish its unique, spicy taste. This is one of the spiciest curries you will ever taste.
Chicken kolhapuri Ingredients:
Chicken:
This is the main ingredient in this recipe. Choose fresh chicken. Use medium-sized bone-in pieces. Use a mix of the thigh and breast parts of the chicken for better taste and texture.
Ginger-garlic paste:
This paste makes the base of the curry paste used to make Kolhapuri-style curry. Ginger adds a mix of warm, pungent and fiery flavors. Garlic adds a mix of hot, spicy, sweet, and buttery flavors.
Onion:
Onion is used to add depth and flavor to this gravy. It gives a slight thickness and softness to the gravy. It adds a touch of sweetness and helps to balance the taste of other spices.
Tomato:
Tomatoes are used to balance the heat of the dish. They add a touch of tangy and sour flavor to the curry. They help to enhance the red color of the curry.
Whole spices:
Cinnamon, black cardamom, star anise, cloves, green cardamom, black pepper, maze, nutmeg, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds:
Use whole spices to achieve maximum flavor. Choose the freshest and aromatic spices available. Don’t use old spices or ones with a bad smell. Fresh spices will give strong aromas and flavors.
Baydgi chili powder and red chili powder:
Chili powder is an important ingredient in this dish. Kolhapuri cuisine is generally very hot in flavor. The amount of red chili powder is usually high in the cuisine. Kolhapuri chicken curry is especially famous for its extra-hot flavor. Anyone who is not used to eating extremely spicy food might find this curry too hot to handle.
Dry coconut copra:
Use fresh coconut copra for this curry. Choose the copra that’s clean from the inside. It should have a sweeter taste. It should not have a hint of astringent or a bad smell.
Similar main course recipes:
Authentic spicy kolhapuri chicken rassa (curry) recipe
Ingredients
For marinating chicken
- 500 gm chicken
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
For making Kolhapuri masala
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 star anise
- 6 cloves
- 4 green cardamoms
- 8 black peppers, whole
- 1 blade of javitri (mace)
- A small piece of nutmeg
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 8 Byadgi dry chilies
- 5 tbsp dry grated coconut
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 2 tbsp oil
- ½ cup onions, chopped
- ½ cup tomatoes, chopped
- 7-8 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
For gravy
- 4 tbsp oil
- ½ cup onions, finely chopped
Instructions
- Take 500 gm of chicken in a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients mentioned for the marinade and mix well with the chicken. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a pan on low heat for roasting the spices. Add 1-inch cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, 1 star anise, 6 cloves, and 4 green cardamoms. Then add 1 blade of mace, a small piece of nutmeg, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Mix well and roast for 1-2 minutes, or until aromatic. Place them on a plate and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, add 8 dried Byadgi chilies and roast for 2 minutes. Move the chilies to one side of the pan, then add 5 tbsp grated dry coconut, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, and 1 tsp poppy seeds. Roast for 2 minutes and transfer to a plate to cool.
- Now, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add ½ cup chopped onions and fry for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Then add 1 inch of chopped garlic and 7-8 garlic cloves. Fry for a minute, move to a plate, and let it cool down.
- After all the roasted spices have cooled down, add them to a mixing jar. Grind until you get a fine powder.
- Next, add the fried onions, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic cloves to the same mixer jar with the grounded spices. Add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and grind all the spices well to make a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed.
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in a kadai on medium heat. Add ½ cup finely chopped onions and fry well for 7-8 minutes or till the onions turn light brown and soft.
- Add the prepared masala paste and mix well with the onions. Fry well with onions for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the marinated chicken. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Now turn the heat down to low.
- Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Stir the chicken in between.
- Remove the lid, add 2½ cups of water, and mix well with the chicken. Put the lid back on and cook for 20 minutes.
- Finally, stir the chicken well and turn off the heat. Kolhapuri chicken is ready.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with naan, roti, or rice.
Notes
- Adjust the spice levels according to your preference.
- For a richer flavor, use bone-in chicken pieces.
- Stir the spices continuously while roasting on low heat to prevent burning.
- Always allow the roasted spices to cool down before grinding.
- Byadgi chilies have a milder heat. Alternatively, you can use Kashmiri red chilies.
- Adjust the amount of water if you want to make the curry thinner.
