A Chicken Curry with Tamarind

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

I barely made it to my own event, that is how hectic life’s been lately! But the good news is that I have a four day weekend coming up and we are going away on a mini-break. Nothing major, driving to a nearby town with a group of friends for some much needed R&R. So I won’t get to do the JFI-Tamarind round up till early next week, therefore if you want to send me some more Tamarind entries, you can do so till Thursday - July 3rd. If you still haven’t send me your entry (You know who you are!) please do so as soon possible, I won’t be able to include it in the round-up otherwise.

Now, let’s talk about today’s recipe. This one is actually based on a Chicken Xacuti recipe from the Konkan Cookbook by Sanjeev Kapoor. I didn’t want to call the dish Xacuti, since I didn’t use two major ingredients from the original recipe. Since the recipe had called for 2 tbsp poppy seeds and 1 tbsp carom seeds, I am guessing that the addition of those might have yielded an entirely different taste. I didn’t want to call it Xacuti without those two ingredients and have the Authenticity Police issue an arrest warrant against me. I don’t care a bit about authenticity, fusion is my middle name! I struggle to categorize most of my dishes under a particular cuisine. I am known to add soy sauce to curries and cumin and coriander to fettuccine. After I posted a Kori Sukka Burger, I got a couple of really nasty flame mails, I was shocked!

Speaking of authenticity reminds me of a tiff I had with a blogger recently. I’d say caring about authenticity of a dish is one thing, but it is quite another to make unsubstantiated claims about a certain cuisine. I draw the line there! I recently came across a blog that claimed (in an article about Sambar) that tamarind trees being uncommon in Kerala, Keralites use Kudampuli or Yogurt as souring agents in Sambar! This person is not from Kerala, whereas I grew up in Kerala (in the middle of tamarind trees I may add!). As far as I know, Kudampuli is typically used in Central Kerala; others use Tamarind for most of their sour preparations. Also, even in the areas where Kudampuli is used, it is mainly used in fish curries, other dishes use Tamarind and some dishes like Aviyal, Pachadi etc use Yogurt. I have never heard of Kudampuli in Sambar or in any mainstream vegetable preparations for that matter! I couldn’t find a single vegetarian recipe with Kudampuli in any of my Kerala cookbooks. But the guy is sticking to his baseless claims! I really don’t trust his facts, so if there are any Keralites out there who can shed any light on this, I’d really appreciate it!

Now, really coming back to the recipe, I don’t care what you want to call this recipe, the taste was out of this world! And the smell, wow, I wish I could share the wonderful aroma with you all! This is going to be a regular feature for us from now onwards!

Tamarind Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1.5 lbs Chicken skinless, bone-in cut into medium sized pieces
1 cup grated coconut (frozen is fine, or use dried coconut flakes)
2″ cinnamon stick
6 cloves
4-5 dried red chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
10-12 whole peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 whole star anise
1.5 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6 cloves of garlic
1.5 cups finely chopped onions
1 tbsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

Method

Heat 1sp oil in a pan and fry the coconut on medium heat till it turns brown. Keep aside

Dry roast ingredients 3-10 in the same pan till aromatic. Grind in a spice grinder to form a smooth powder.

Grind the fried coconut, garlic, turmeric powder, prepared spice powder and just enough water to form a really smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and saute the onions till brown.

Add the spice paste and saute stirring frequently for about 6-7 minutes till oil starts to separate.

Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the tamarind paste and salt to taste and simmer for about 10 minutes till the chicken is cooked.

Serve hot with rice or bread or dosas.

This is my entry for JFI Tamarind that I am hosting this month. As I mentioned before, the deadline is extended till Thursday - July 3rd. JFI was originated by Indira of Mahanandi.

Comments

40 Responses to “A Chicken Curry with Tamarind”

nags on July 2nd, 2008 1:26 am

oooh, my makes it exactly like this but sometimes gets lazy and substitutes tomatoes for tamarind. less tangy but still tasty
rachel on July 2nd, 2008 2:19 am

My last-minute entry is coming your way !!!

Pass me some of that chicken will you?????
Rajitha on July 2nd, 2008 3:06 am

where are those emails ..i want to read them…but if my memory serves me right..u have had ur share of some doozies

the gravy sounds really good..i should make it with paneer….and have fun madam..u have been living it up at work
For Spicy Lovers on July 2nd, 2008 3:27 am

Wow chicken with tamarind! its new to me.
Raaga on July 2nd, 2008 4:18 am

it looks delish And yeah… authentic changes from doorstep to doorstep so big deal
indosungod on July 2nd, 2008 6:23 am

Chicken is grabworthy Sig. Be glad we are not neighbors Yogurt in sambhar what next.

I have never tried adding tamarind in chicken dishes but coming to think about why not and if it looks that delicious, I gotta try.
Asha on July 2nd, 2008 8:01 am

I forgive you Sig!! What a great looking chicken curry, must try for me but in few weeks. I make a simple chicken curry similar to this but lot less whole masala, this sounds yummy!:))
Laavanya on July 2nd, 2008 9:05 am

I tried Cauliflower Xacuti from Jugalbandi and liked it.. but it wasn’t tangy like this one. I should give this a try with cauliflower
Raji on July 2nd, 2008 9:30 am

Chicken with tamarind,new for me, looks yummy, i am going to try it soon Sig .

“Kudampuli Sambar” that is the funniest sambar i ever heard…LOL, I guess probably he was trying to make ‘Fish sambar’. Forgive him for all ‘Sambars’

Enjoy the weekend. (We are going to try your ginger cilantro Chicken, for the July 4th grill.)
JZ @ Tasty treats on July 2nd, 2008 9:37 am

wow the curry looks rich and yummy, Sig.. and as far my knowledge goes, I am with you on the tamarind issue! kudampuli is used in fish curries and shrimp curries etc whereas tamarind is the one used in sambars and rasams! may the “sambar” bhagavan forgive him!!
rina on July 2nd, 2008 9:40 am

Gr8 Sig, here i got a non-veg dish w/ tamarind now. Looks so yummy..can’t wait to try. Have gr8 long weekend.
sra on July 2nd, 2008 9:51 am

I don’t care a bit about authenticity, CONVENIENCE is MY middle name! I always pronounced it Zaccuti till I learnt it was Shakuti!
richa on July 2nd, 2008 11:21 am

love the color of that gray
WOOPS! one more authenticity discussion…lol…blog on…..
enjoy the long wknd, sweetie
Jyothsna on July 2nd, 2008 11:54 am

Yoghurt in sambar?? Rubbish! Kudampuli in sambar??? Blasphemy!! I’m up in arms with you Sig!
Lovely chicken, yum! Enjoy the break.
Sujatha on July 2nd, 2008 12:21 pm

Wow, I love that color and texture! I’m dribbling.. I sure have one more dish to try with chicken now! Enjoy your break
Ramki on July 2nd, 2008 12:24 pm

Jyothsna,
Yogurt in Sambar ? Certainly - just google for Moru Sambar !
Meeta on July 2nd, 2008 3:01 pm

you cares about those flame mails - that is why i love this space because you improvise and fuse like noone else i know. why are people so daft to complain about such perfection. enjoy the break!
musy on July 2nd, 2008 3:54 pm

Who cares about the name, its all in the flavor baby Please know that you are dishing out some of the most mouthwatering stuff (YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMY)

Have fun for the long weekend-you totally deserve this lil’ break.

hugs,
musical.
shilpa on July 2nd, 2008 3:58 pm

Ohh tell me abt Authenticity Police . I have got bombarded by them a million times…sometimes I feel like asking them to “go and get a life” . Btw..I did not expect you to worry about them, because thats one of the qualities(along with many others) I really like about you and try to learn from you. Just forget them, I have stopped even trying to reply to them :).

Love Love the picture of chicken curry. Since V said he won’t be eating chicken anymore(unless it is prepared Italian way), I haven’t cooked it in a long time and every time I look at your posts, I want to try them.

Enjoy your vacation dear.
Kalai on July 2nd, 2008 4:24 pm

Gorgeous chicken, Sig!! Absolutely amazing and a must try. Hope you have a fantastic break!
Ramki on July 2nd, 2008 4:25 pm

Hi Sig,

I’m surprised to see this not so flattering comment in your blog, after I’d sent a detailed mail on your comments.

It is a fact that a cuisine is always built around locally available stuff. It is also a fact that tamarind trees abound in Andhra and Tamilnadu, and to a lesser extent in Kerala. That is why Andhra cuisine uses tamarind the most, followed by Tamilnadu. This is also the reason why Kerala cuisine used coconut extensively, much more than Tamilnadu / Andhra cuisine.

And let me drum up support for my claims..

“Kerala cuisine did not use chillies or tamarind but relied only on pepper for pungency and Buttermilk and mango for adding sour taste”

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/miscellaneous-recipes/15619-origin-of-sambar-south-india.html

Regarding Raji’s comment that ” Kudampuli Sambar” that is the funniest sambar I ever heard”, Maharashtrians or Gujaratis have been making this ‘funniest’ sambar for ages - The Aamti and Gujarati dal ( tuvar ni dal), both which use Kokum with tuvar dal.

In fact,Maharashtrian Aamti is believed to be the ancestor of Sambar as explained here..

http://www.zine5.com/archive/pad08.htm

“He liked his amti, a lentil based dish which uses kokum - a fruit, the pulp of which is used as a souring agent in Maharashtrian and Konkani cuisine.

There are sambars cooked without souring agents, and those cooked with a variety of souring agents - tomato, mango, kokum, yogurt and even lemon juice. There is no reason a prohibition should exist against the use of Kudampuli in sambar.

That said, I’ve admitted that I have not come across a recipe for Kodumpuli Sambar. But the absence of evidence, as they say, is not evidence of absence. As the Konkani coast uses kokum extensively in their dal based dishes, I’m willing to speculate that versions using Kodumpuli do exist and I’d expect to see it in north Kerala, which shows the influence of Konkani cuisine.

Would you try using Kodumpuli in sambar ? I did after your post and it was certainly edible !

Hi Ramki, I brought it up here because I just wanted to get the facts straight from people who actually know about the cuisine, I think people who grew up in the state might have a little more fact based details than someone who hasn’t.

You keep coming back to that one example of “Moru Sambar” . If you had just posted a recipe for Moru Sambar or even a Sambar with Kudampuli, I’d have just said “Wow Ramki, that is an innovative recipe, I’ll try it sometime.” But instead, you wrote a generic statement in your Sambar article

“Tamarind trees being uncommon in Kerala, we see Keralite sambars using yogurt, tomato or Kodumpuli as souring agents instead of Tamarind.”

All I was trying to tell you was that this statement is wrong. Majority of kerala sambars use Tamarind as the souring agent, I’m sure there are exceptions to any rule, Moru Sambar being one. But your statement suggests that using Tamarind in Sambar is the exception, which is absolutely not correct.

Another fact you kept repeating is about the Kokum based daal preparaion - Please understand that Kokum and Kudampuli are not the same. We don’t have kokum in Kerala, and as far as I know Kudampuli is commonly used in central kerala. I think the North Kerala versions of fish curry use Tamarind or Tomatoes, but I am not completely sure about this particular fact, would love to hear from some North Keralites.

It is quite funny that you quoted that one line about Tamarind not being part of the traditional Kerala cuisine from that article in IndusLadies, intentionally omitting the statement right before that which talked about ” Pulungari (dish with tamarind in Kerala) “ I noiced that you even omitted “Traditional” from your quote. I don’t know quite how far in the past they meant by “traditional” in that article, but trust me, the current Kerala cuisine use plenty of Tamarind.

Sadya, a traditional Kerala feast served on weddings and special occasions have Sambar and Puliinji and even rasam these days all of which uses tamarind.

I don’t think there are many Kearlites who don’t have some sort of memory associated with green tamarind and salt from their childhood days, it is very much a part of our lives.

To sum it up, I am not telling you that you shouldn’t make Sambar with yogurt or even Kudampuli, I am just asking you to change your generic statement that gives the false impression that Kerala sambar is normally made with one of those.
Ramki on July 2nd, 2008 8:08 pm

Hi Sig,
Point taken. I agree that my statement has indeed made it sound that yogurt and kodumpuli are more commonly used than Tamarind in Kerala sambars. I did not mean it.

What I meant was, a sambar cooked with Tamarind is a Tamil sambar. What is the Keralaness in it ? Is it the excessive use of coconut or the use of local souring agents ?

I understand Kokum and Kudampuli are not the same, as clearly explained in one of your articles, but as both belong to the same family and serve similar functions, I talked about them in the same breath.

Any local cuisine is built around abundantly available stuff. That is why we do not use coconut as much as Keralites do, just because coconut trees, though they exist, are not as abundant in Tamilnadu. Similarly, it is a fact that Tamarind trees are not as abundant in Kerala as they are in Andhra and Tamilnadu, a fact clearly reflected in the Kerala cuisine.

If tamarind is common, as you claim, I’d expect to find it in more Keralite dishes, not just in Sambar / Rasam / Puli Inji which are not indigenous Kerala dishes.

In fact, I am not able to recall a single traditional Kerala dish which uses Tamarind. Sambar, Rasam , Puli Inji and Pulingari cooked in Kerala Brahmin homes are variants of traditional Tamil Brahmin recipes.

As Tamarind was not commonly used in Namboodiri cuisine,I’ll stick out my neck and speculate that its inclusion in Sadhaya is a recent phenomenon.

However, Thanks. I’m modifying my post now to reflect the fact that Kodumpuli is not commonly used in Kerala sambars.

But no, I still do not subscribe to the school of thought which says you need to be born in a place before you can discuss its cuisine.

Ramki, you realize you are just beating a dead horse here? The three examples I gave are just Sadya dishes, there are many many more dishes in Kearla using tamarind - all kinds of theeyals and many seafood dishes for example. Now you will say that Brahmins never used to eat those, but Kerala has a much more diverse heritage than that! Anyway, I don’t want to go into the history, I am talking about the current situation.

I think I proved my point, so I’d like to close this discussion now. Also, I never said that you need to be born in a place to discuss the cuisine, but when there is a disagreement about something as basic as this one, I’d take the words of a native over anybody else’s.
Ramki on July 2nd, 2008 9:40 pm

“No horse is too dead to beat.”

Theeyal is right, but in tamarind usage,the order would be Andhra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

I don’t think that fact was ever under discussion….

Sorry, I always have to get the last word in here at my blog
Ramki on July 2nd, 2008 11:59 pm

Amen!
swati raman on July 3rd, 2008 2:12 am

whats going on hehee… ok was this extension of deadline for me ? i would take it as that ….. will come in todays post.. i was so sad that something i try for JFI doesnt go for JFI… thnks thnks thnks…… dont know who that you know who is but iam so hapyyyyyyyyyyy
JZ @ Tasty treats on July 3rd, 2008 8:29 am

looks like I missed a big discussion here!!

anyways, in honor of the yummy recipes and beautiful pics u present here, there’s something for you on my blog..dont forget to check it out!!
veda on July 3rd, 2008 8:45 am

Dear Sig,

Theres something for you in my blog

Pls check

http://iyengarskitchen.blogspot.com

and thank you for leaving such a wonderful compliment about my puliogare preparation!

Regards,

Veda
sunita on July 3rd, 2008 9:56 am

Sig, the curry looks awesome…I have a hard time categorising most of my recipes
Anita on July 3rd, 2008 12:41 pm

Could not resist jumping into the sambar discussion.
A Kerala sambar is one which has a medley of veggies. Everything together. Onion, brinjal, tomatoes, okra, some kind of gourd(s), drumsticks, potatoes, etc. Tamil sambar is usually not a mishmash of veggies.
Kerala sambar as I know it, i.e. the way my mom and grandma have made it, doesn’t involve any coconut, or gram dal in the masala. The masala is made fresh. And consisted of coriander seeds, dried red chillies, fenugreek, asafetida and a few curry leaves dry roasted and then ground into a paste. My aunt who is from north Kerala adds coconut in her sambar.
The Kerala sambar can be adequately explained so: No pre-made sambar podi, no gram dal, and a medley of veggies. Whilst, my Tamilian friends will have mulangi sambar, vengaya sambar, vendakka sambar, katrikkai sambar, etc. You get the drift.
Also the info about black pepper being used instead of chillies is not true. Pepper was always a cash crop and traditionally was used sparingly in day to day meals in the Kerala that I, my parents and grandparents know. However, I cannot speak for the parts of Kerala that I do not know.
Ramki on July 3rd, 2008 8:00 pm

Anita,

You are right. Tamil sambar usually does not have a medley of vegetables, though a class of sambars called Kadamba sambars have a mix of vegetables.

However numerous Tamil sambars made without gram dal / sambar podi ( Araithu vitta sambar / Podi potta Sambar). So I would’nt call it unique to Kerala.

Where was this info about black pepper being used in sambar instead of chilies ?

But as Chilies were a recent introduction to Indian cuisine, I’m sure the pre- Portuguese recipes would have called for pepper in many dishes.
sumarajesh on July 3rd, 2008 8:23 pm

wooo..when i c chicken recipe i could not sit on my place…liek to grab that bowl …its really fantastic and sure it will be delicious tooo….luv it and am dooling here…
mandira on July 5th, 2008 9:51 am

that looks delicious Sig, I would love to have that bowl passed here
varsha on July 6th, 2008 11:28 am

Thats a drool-worthy chicken curry u have here SIg.. ..nevr thought of tamarind-chicken combo..hats off..
Then that was a hot discussion here..even I have never heard of using kudampuli or stuff in sambar..as we r i n real abundance pf tamarind trees in kerala..
Cham on July 6th, 2008 10:18 pm

I never thought of adding tamarind to the chicken dishes
JFI Tamarind Round-up : Live To Eat on July 7th, 2008 1:03 am

[…] Tamarind Chicken Curry […]
Scarlet on July 7th, 2008 4:14 am

‘keralites’ used kodumpuli and not Tamarind, thats news! Very few ppl in -Kollam/Trivandrum area- use it, its normally Tamarind only, even for fish curry. As far as ‘curd-Sambar’/ ’sambar with kodumpuli’ is concerned; i’m still living in kerala but have never ever heard of such a dish.

Btw Sig, i’m a recent reader of your blogs, tried a couple of your receipes and they turned out real well.. looking fwd for many more good ones.
Cynthia on July 13th, 2008 11:19 am

Oh my gosh, I am really having some crazy fantasties about this curry! So mouth-watering!
valerie on July 15th, 2008 9:06 am

beautiful receipe !
Eric "Speedcat Hollydale" on July 27th, 2008 5:30 pm

This sounds crazy … but I am a chicken fanatic. This post sucked me right in !!

Definately taking a copy ~ thank you

Hello from SpeedyCat in Minnesota
Barbara on July 30th, 2008 8:28 am

Hello Sig,
Can you help me please…
I have the Tamarind ‘Concentrate’ which comes in a small jar. Do I still use a tablespoon or should the amount be reduced?
I’ve never used Tamarind before, so this is all new to me.
Thanks kindly,
Barbara

Hi Barbara,
Tamarind paste and concentrate are similar products, so you can use 1tbsp. But if you haven’t used tamarind before, I suggest that you start with 1/2 tbsp and taste and increase the amount as needed.

Good luck!
-Sig