Varutharacha Chicken Curry/Chicken In Roasted Coconut Gravy

Already the first ten days of Ramadan are over.And as usual the next ten and the last ten would also just fly off.Utilize the best of time for Ibaadah when you are in good health.Circumstances may not be the same always because sometimes I feel I did my Ibaadah  better last year compared to how I feel this year.This year I feel I am in a complete packed shedule because in between I have my Physiotherapy sessions and due to the medication I doze off suddenly every now and then.Otherwise I could spent late nights and early mornings completing my recitation.But then everything is His will.And as believers there is reward on being patient.

Today's recipe is a Chicken Curry famous in the Malabar part.It is made mostly during Ramadan time and paired with Pathiris.As I have mentioned earlier my hubby is all nadan type food fan and among them one of his favorite curry is this.My Umma makes this curry in a very simple way without much ingredients in the roasting part but it tastes delicious.Here the Chicken curry is made as usual but then the Coconut with a few other ingredients is roasted,then pasted and added to this curry which totally changes the texture,taste and smell of the Curry.The Curry turns a little thicker and the aroma of the roasted coconut just fills the air.

Ingredients
Chicken  700 gm cut into medium pieces
Onion   2 large finely sliced
Tomato 1 large or 2 medium chopped
Ginger  1'' piece finely chopped
Garlic   5-6 cloves  ''     ''
Green chilies  2 slit 
Chilly powder  1/2 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder  1 tbsp
Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
Thin Coconut milk  2nd extract  3/4 cup
Cinnamon  a small piece 
Cloves   2-3 
Cardamom  1
Oil   2 tbsp
Curry leaves  2 sprig
To Roast
Coconut grated 3/4 cup
Fennel seeds  1 tsp
Shallots  3-4
Rice grains or powder 3/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder  1/2 tsp
Method
-Heat a pan and add in the rice grains,dry roast till it pops(if you are using rice powder then you can skip this step and directly add the grated coconut) Now add the grated Coconut.Saute for a minute and add the fennel seeds,Shallots and the turmeric powder and dry roast till the Coconut turns golden brown.Switch off the flame and keep this aside.
-Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.Add the Cinnamon Cloves and Cardamom.After a few seconds add in the sliced onion and saute till lightly brown.In between add the ginger,garlic and green chillies.
-Add the tomatoes and the curry leaves.Saute till the tomatoes turn mushy.
-Now add all the powders and saute for 2 minutes.Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water.
-When the gravy boils add the cleaned chicken pieces and mix well.Place the lid and let it cook for 20 -25 minutes(till the chicken pieces are cooked).Keep stirring at intervals.
-Meanwhile grind the roasted coconut with very little water into a smooth paste.Now add this paste to the chicken curry and mix well.Now using the thin extract of coconut milk wash the jar with the remains of the roasted coconut and pour this also into the curry.
-Mix well and let the curry boil for 2-3 minutes.Switch off the flame and serve with ghee rice ,pathiris or even chapatis.

*If not using the rice grains,you can add 3/4 rice powder while grinding the coconut.