AI-generated image
Chicken sukka
Dry coconut chicken masala
ಕೋಳಿ ಸುಕ್ಕ: Mangalorean dry chicken masala with dark-roasted coconut and byadgi chillies, for feasts and Sunday lunch
Kori sukka comes from the Bunt and Catholic kitchens of Mangaluru and Udupi, where it is cooked for village feasts, Monti Fest, weddings and slow Sunday lunches. 'Sukka' means dry: bone-in chicken is cooked in a fiery paste of roasted byadgi chillies, coriander, cumin, pepper and tamarind, then tossed with grated coconut that has been roasted to a deep brown until every piece is coated in a coarse, nutty, smoky masala. Byadgi chillies give a brilliant red colour with moderate heat, so the result is spicy but rounded. Cook the chicken to 74 °C at the thickest part before the coconut goes in. Serve with neer dosa, rice and a thin rasam, or with kori rotti. Common mistake: roasting the coconut over too high a heat; it burns from golden to bitter in seconds, so keep the flame low and stir constantly. Chef's tip: grind the masala coarse, not smooth, and add the roasted coconut only at the end so it keeps its texture.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅔ lb chicken on the boneskinned, cut into small pieces
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
For the sukka masala
- 10 byadgi dried red chilliesstalks removed
- 1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 3 cloves
- ¾ in cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 5 ½ oz freshly grated coconut
For cooking
- 3 tbsp coconut oildivided
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 15 curry leaves
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ⅔ lb chicken on the bone with ½ tsp ground turmeric and half the ¾ tsp salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Heat 1 teaspoon of the ⅓ tbsp coconut oil in a heavy pan over a low heat. Roast 10 byadgi dried red chillies, 1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds, 3 cloves and ¾ in cinnamon stick for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the chillies are crisp and the seeds smell toasted. Tip onto a plate.
4 minStep 3: In the same dry pan over a low heat, roast 5 ½ oz freshly grated coconut, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until it is an even, deep reddish brown and smells like toasted nuts. Set aside a third of it.
10 minStep 4: Let the spices cool, then grind them with 8 garlic cloves, 1 tsp tamarind paste, two thirds of the roasted coconut and 3–4 tablespoons of water to a coarse, thick paste.
Step 5: Heat the rest of the 2 ⅔ tbsp coconut oil in a heavy kadai over a medium heat. Add 2 onions and fry for 8–10 minutes until golden, then add 15 curry leaves.
10 minStep 6: Add the chicken and fry over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes until it is no longer pink on the outside.
5 minStep 7: Stir in the masala paste and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt and fry for 3 minutes. Add ½ cup water, cover and cook over a low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is tender and reads 165°F at the thickest part.
20 minStep 8: Uncover, add the reserved roasted coconut and cook over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, tossing, until the masala is dry and clings to every piece. Scatter with ⅓ oz fresh coriander and serve hot.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken sukka take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
