Chicken Kori Rotti/ Mangalorean Chicken Curry/Chicken Kori Gassi

Chicken Kori Rotti/ Mangalorean Chicken Curry/Chicken Kori Gassi

Chicken Kori Rotti

Chicken Kori Rotti

We were very fortunate to have a grandma , mums and aunts who were outstanding cooks.  Every get together was a gastronomical delight and we reveled in all the traditional fare served up at these events.  Summer holidays were especially a feast of sorts as all the traditional foods were cooked and brought to the table- Cucumber Dosa, Mulka, Gatti and Garige ( jackfruit preparations) Moleee Dosa ( Shellfish Curry with Minute Dumplings), Tender Cashew Nut Curry, Kori Roti and many more.  The kitchen was a large, dark room full of exciting smells and the store room was just heaven.  I remember the midnight raids and the fun we had.  The store room was always locked and it was a matter of pride to stealthily get the keys from my grandma’s room and then have a field time in there before creeping to our room to gloat over our spoils before indulging.   Those were the days and one of my favourite dishes was Kori Roti Served with a delicious Coconut Chicken Curry.  Kori Roti is a crisp rice wafer that is made in sheets on a long metal pan and then dried and stored in air tight containers.  It is usually served with a Chicken Curry and has lots and lots of gravy to soak the Kori Roti in before eating it.  Kori Roti is a Bunt ( A Mangalorean Community) speciality  and as my forbears were converts, this is a family favourite that has been handed down from Mother to Daughter for ages.  It is a  wonderful way of preserving our heritage and remembering those who shaped and moulded the family. Cooking and eating together is an opportunity not only to eat, but also to teach and learn. The dinner table is one of the many places that family culture is passed down from one generation to the next. In short it is culture on a plate.

This is a much loved recipe (Kori means Chicken & Rotti means rice flat bread in the Tulu Language) that my Mum used to make for special occasions.  It is also known as Kori Gassi ( Gassi means gravy in Kannada). I have tweaked it to lessen the preparation and cooking time after I moved to Kuala Lumpur.

The Recipe For Chicken Kori Rotti/ Mangalorean Chicken Curry/Chicken Kori Gassi

The Ingredients For Chicken Kori Rotti/ Mangalorean Chicken Curry/Chicken Kori Gassi:

2 kg chicken, wash and cut into medium pieces.  Drain and keep aside till required.

For The Masala :

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp chilli powder or more to taste

4 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp black pepper corns

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds

a small lime sized ball of tamarind (without seeds)

3 tbsp fresh coconut grated

3 large onions, sliced

12 large cloves, garlic

2 inch piece ginger

Method For Making Masala Paste:

Heat a non stick pan.  Add the oil, lower flame and stir fry the masala paste ingredients except the chilli powder till fragrant.  This takes a few minutes.  Add the chilli powder and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside till required.

Ingredients For The Curry:

1 tbsp Oil

3 to 5 sprigs curry leaves

3 large onion, sliced fine

3 large tomatoes cubed

½ tsp haldi powder ( turmeric)

salt to taste

2 cups water

2 cups thick coconut milk ( fresh or canned or powder.  I use whatever is in my kitchen)

1 inch cinnamon

1 star anise

3 cloves

1 tsp salt or to taste

Method For Making Chicken Kori Rotti/ Mangalorean Chicken Curry/Chicken Kori Gassi:

Heat a large non stick pan.  Add the oil, lower flame and stir fry the curry leaves for a few seconds.  Add sliced onions and spices and stir fry till transparent.  Keep 1/3 of the onions and curry leaves for garnishing.  Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, chicken, salt to taste, Masala Paste and water. Gently mix together and cover and cook on simmer till done ( takes about 15 minutes.   I used a pressure cooker to save time as it takes only five minutes).  Once done (to test whether cooked poke a skewer into a chicken piece.  The juices should run clear) add the thick coconut milk and mix together.  Adjust for taste.  Garnish with reserved fried onions and more stir fried curry leaves.  Serve hot wit the roti.

To Serve:  Place some pieces of rotti on a plate and pour a lot of gravy over it to soften.  Incidentally Kori means Chicken in Tulu, which is a Dravidian language spoken in Mangalore.

Other Chicken Recipes:

Curry Leaf Chicken

Kundapur Chicken Curry

Easy Peasy Tandoori Chicken Recipe

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