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Natu kodi pulusu
నాటు కోడి పులుసు: Telangana country-chicken curry with tamarind and roasted spices
Natu kodi means country chicken, the lean, free-ranging birds of Telangana's villages, and their pulusu is a Sunday and festival curry: fiery with chilli, soured with tamarind and thickened with a paste of roasted coconut, poppy seed and whole spices. It is mopped up with rice or jonna rotte. The mistake most cooks make is giving a country bird the timing of a broiler; desi chicken needs 40–50 minutes of slow simmering to turn tender, while ordinary chicken is done in about 20. Food safety: marinate in the fridge and cook until the thickest piece reaches 74 °C. Chef's tip: add the tamarind only once the chicken is tender, as acid slows the softening of tough meat.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ¼ lb country (desi) chicken on the bone, or ordinary chickencut into pieces
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
For the masala paste
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves
- 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp white poppy seeds
- 1 oz dry coconut, grated
For the curry
- 4 tbsp oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 4 green chilliesslit
- 15 curry leaves
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ¼ lb country (desi) chicken on the bone, or ordinary chicken with ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ¼ tsp salt and 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
60 minStep 2: Dry-roast 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves, 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick and 1 tbsp white poppy seeds over low heat for 3 minutes until fragrant, add 1 oz dry coconut, grated and roast until golden. Cool and grind to a smooth paste with a little water.
8 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy pot and fry 2 onions for 8 minutes until golden. Add 4 green chillies and 15 curry leaves for 30 seconds.
9 minStep 4: Add the chicken and sear over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, turning, until it loses its raw colour and the masala darkens.
8 minStep 5: Stir in the masala paste and fry 3 minutes until the oil separates.
3 minStep 6: Pour in 3 cups water and simmer covered: 40–50 minutes for country chicken, 18–20 minutes for ordinary chicken, until the meat is tender and reaches 165°F at the thickest piece.
45 minStep 7: Stir in 1 ½ tbsp tamarind paste and simmer uncovered 5 minutes until the gravy thickens and oil floats on top. Finish with 3 tbsp fresh coriander.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does natu kodi pulusu take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 80 minutes to prepare and 60 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 red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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