Konkani chicken with mirchi ka salan

I was thinking of a friend of mine who is Konkani. Once when I went to lunch at her home she made the most unique dishes I ever ate. It was a curry made of fruits. She gave me the recipe but I never made it.
              But thinking of her made me think of Konkani chicken curry and I found it at the vah  re vah website. I made it and it was fantastic. It turned out even better in the evening. I served it with white rice and a very different kind of a mirchi ka Salan . If you want the authentic Hyderabadi mirchi ka Salan Click Here

Konkani chicken curry (chicken in coconut based gravy)

Konkani Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1. 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
2. 1 inch cinnamon broken
3. 2 cloves
4. Few curry leaves
5. 1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. 1 medium large onion chopped
7. 3 tablespoons oil
8. 1 teaspoon or more salt divided
9. 2 green chillies chopped
10. 1/2 cur desiccated coconut dry roasted
11. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
12. 2 tablespoons Konkani masala
13. 1 tableSpoon tomato paste (optional)

Konkani masala

Ingredients

1. Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
   Bengal Gram - 2 tbslp
   Rice - 2 teaspoon
   Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
   Aniseed or fennel seeds (saunf) -1 teaspoon 
   6 dried red chillies
   
   
   
   For Konkani masala:
   1. Dry Roast each ingredients, individually
   2. Cool and grind.
   3. Store in an airtight jar and use as required.
   
   In a flat pan heat the oil and fry the cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves for a minute. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and fry till they become crispy. Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add tomato paste if using and fry for a couple of minutes. Add turmeric and 

For the Konkani Curry

In a non stick pan heat the oil and add the cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves and fry for a minute. 

Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and fry till it becomes crispy. Add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the Konkani masala and turmeric and stir to combine and fry for a minute. Add tomato paste if using and fry for a couple of minutes. Add chicken and stir to combine and cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the salt and 1/2 cup of water and simmer 10 more minutes. Add the roasted coconut and stir and simmer for Couple more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy

Mirchi Ka Salan (Bell pepper in a creamy coconut gravy)

Shimla Mirchi ka Sallan

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 of each of 2 or 3 different colored bellpepper cut at an angle
2. 2 tablespoons groundnuts/peanuts dry roasted
3. 1 teaspoon melon or sun flower seeds or almonds dry roasted
4. 1 tablespoon thick juice of tamarind
5. 1/2 cup thick coconut milk, plain yogurt beaten
6. few curry leaves
7. 2 bay leaves
8. 1/2 teaspoon cumin, mustard seeds
9. 1 tablespoon oil
10. 1 inch cinnamon
11. 1 teaspoon garam masala
12. 3 dried red chillies
13. 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder, turmeric
14. 1 teaspoon salt

In a deep bottomed pan heat the oil and fry the curry leaves and bay leaves for a minute. Add the cinnamon, cumin, dried red chillies  and mustard seeds and fry till they splutter. Add garam masala, chilly powder and turmeric and ground peanuts and the other seeds (almonds or sun flower or melon). Add bell pepper and fry for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix the yogurt and coconut milk and add to the pot and simmer for 5-7 more minutes. Serve it with white rice