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Kilikoodu
Chicken potato cutlets in vermicelli
Kilikoodu: Malabar 'bird's nest' chicken and potato cutlets in crisp vermicelli
IndianKilikoodu means bird's nest, and on Malabar iftar tables these spiky golden nests are always the first plate to empty. Spiced chicken and mashed potato are shaped into little cups, rolled in crushed roasted vermicelli and fried crisp, with a boiled quail egg sitting in each nest like a bird's egg. Chef's tip: crush the vermicelli into short pieces, about 1 cm, so it clings to the cutlet instead of falling off in the oil.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the filling
- 10 ½ oz floury potatoesboiled and mashed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chillieschopped
- 10 ½ oz boneless chicken thighsfinely chopped or minced
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 12 quail eggsboiled 3 minutes and peeled
For the coating
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp water
- 3 ½ oz roasted vermicellicrushed
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep-frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan and fry the 1 onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste and 2 green chillies for 1 minute, then the 10 ½ oz boneless chicken thighs, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala and ¾ tsp salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes until dry and cooked through with no pink (165°F).
12 minStep 2: Mix the chicken with the mashed 10 ½ oz floury potatoes and 2 tbsp fresh coriander. Cool until you can handle it.
5 minStep 3: Shape into 12 balls, then press a thumb into each to make a shallow nest. Sit a 12 quail eggs in each hollow and press the edges up around it.
15 minStep 4: Whisk the 4 tbsp plain flour, 1 egg and 4 tbsp water into a smooth batter. Spread the 3 ½ oz roasted vermicelli on a plate. Dip each nest in batter, then roll it in vermicelli until well covered. Chill for 15 minutes so the coating sets.
5 minStep 5: Heat the 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry 4 at a time for 3–4 minutes until the vermicelli is crisp and deep gold. A common mistake is skipping the chill; warm cutlets fall apart in the oil.
15 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kilikoodu take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of floury potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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