Chicken Stew

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Ingredients

1. Chicken with bones – Around ½ kg  or 1 cornish game hen, cut to small pieces
2. Onion - 1 sliced
3. Ginger – 1 inch piece chopped fine
4. Garlic – 6-7 chopped fine
5. Green Chillies - 4-5 sliced
6. Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
7. Whole spices crushed - cardamom – 2, cloves – 8, bay leaves – 2, cinnamon stick – 2, whole pepper – 8, fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp, star anise -1
8. Potato – 2 small, cubed
9. Carrot – 1 med-sized, cubed
10. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
11. Thin coconut milk – ½ cup
12. Thick coconut milk – ½ cup
13. Garam masala – ¼ tsp (optional)
14. Salt – As required

Method

1.  Clean and cut the chicken to small pieces.  Crush the whole spices in a mortar and pestle.

2.  In a deep pan heat some coconut oil, add crushed  whole spices and sauté for a minute. Now add sliced onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.

3.  When the onion becomes transparent, add the chicken pieces and mix well. Stir in the thin coconut milk. You just need to add half cup thin coconut milk since water will ooze out from the chicken. Add the potatoes, carrots, few curry leaves and mix well. Cover with the lid and cook at low flame. 

4.  When it is done, add thick coconut milk, sprinkle garam masala(optional) and mix well. Check for salt. Serve with appam/chappathi.

Recipe contributed by Heney

Tips :

1. You can also prepare this stew by pressure cooking the chicken and vegetables together at medium heat for 1 whistle.  But slow cooking is always more tasty.

2.  You can prepare mutton stew the same way.