Delicious Kerala creamy coconut chicken curry you can make in a jiffy whenever you fancy. Takes less than 30 minutes and only uses a handful of everyday ingredients.
Just like butter chicken, you can easily cook it on the stovetop or throw it in an instant pot. The perfect dinner with soft flour flatbreads, fluffy rice or spiced couscous.
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What is it?
Kerala chicken curry from the Malabar coast is just chicken simmered in a rich gravy of spices and coconut milk, traditionally with grated fresh coconut. There is no right or wrong mix of spices to use as recipes differ from household to household but do include the regular favourites we associate with Indian cuisine.
You don't have to make or buy Indian curry paste. We only need garam masala, cumin, ground turmeric, chilli(optional) and a bit of cardamom for this curry.
Cashew nuts and coconut milk makes this curry extremely creamy and luxuriously smooth with plenty of richness and loads of flavour.
For a final little touch, we add some optional spinach, so you got to eat your greens friends!
Useful equipment for this recipe
Cast Iron Skillet
Electronic Kitchen Scales
Instant Pot
Small saucepan
Ingredients
- Protein – In this recipe we use boneless chicken thighs. It cooks quickly, is easily available and light and healthy especially if you have this in the evening. If you prefer vegan or vegetarian I have included the steps for that down in the article. Make it even lighter by using prawns.
- Vegetables – All curries start with chopped onion or shallot. We also use freshly steamed spinach in this curry recipe but you could use frozen. Just make sure to squeeze out most of the water before adding.
- Tomato paste - A very common ingredient in Indian curries.
- Coconut milk – Use the best quality you can afford. Something creamy with good fat content. I used Arroy-D for this recipe which is a medium level brand but it is stable and does the job nicely while not breaking the bank.
- Spices – Get these from the store but, you probably have these in your pantry already. Garam masala, turmeric, cumin and green cardamom. All Fresh as a daisy and sealed airtight.
- Nuts(optional) – Cashews are the go-to here but you could also use peanuts. Exclude if you have a nut allergy. Alternatively if you have some left over make these spiced cashew nuts for a delcious snack.
- Aromatics – The usual suspects. Ginger and garlic paste is the base of all curries no matter the origin. To make it extra authentic add some fresh or dried curry leaves.
- Acid – Fresh lime although if you really can’t get hold of limes. Go for lemon. I add this right at the end before serving. Many chefs in top restaurants will tell you that a touch of lemon right at the end lifts up the flavour of many dishes.
Instructions
- Fry onions until soft and translucent.
- Add minced ginger and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and spices. Cook a few minutes more.
- Add chicken and cashew nuts(or vegetables if you're vegan).
- Cook 3 minutes and add coconut milk, chopped spinach, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
- Add the lime juice just before serving.
Serving suggestions
Curry is mostly served with steamed rice, couscous or quinoa.
To go with this curry I have opted for a slightly healthier version than rice. Buckwheat. Widely available and embarrassingly underused.
You could also serve it with some extra greens like broccoli, bok choy or spinach.
Variations
- Change the protein - Use lamb, shrimp or goat. Tougher cuts will need to cook lower and slower.
- Vegetables- Add aubergine, carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, and peppers or add a good quality pre-cooked frozen mix. There is nothing wrong with that when you are in a hurry or just got home after 18 hours of hard work.
- Tofu – Prepare your tofu by frying in a pan or roasting in the oven. Add last-minute when your sauce is ready.
- Make it vegan - The process of making this a vegan curry is very straightforward. Replace the chicken with vegetables or chickpeas. Add in some broccoli, bok choy, or sweet potato. Replace the butter with oil and you have yourself a fantastic vegan coconut curry. The rest stay exactly the same.
Frequently asked questions
The flavours have time to settle when given enough time.
The same goes for making stews, soups and other saucy dishes cooked with a variety of ingredients with different flavours.
Curry keeps well when store airtight like most other foods. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 6 months.
It's an ideal dish to make ahead especially if you like planning your meals in advance.
If it's from the fridge reheat gently in a pan or microwave. If it was frozen defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat. Alternatively, use your microwave defrost setting if you're in a hurry.
Related recipes
If you like spicy food or Asian cuisine then you will find the following recipes useful
- Adjika paste
- Thai prawn Massaman curry
- Spiced red lentil soup
- Japanese sweet miso Aubergine
- Filipino beef adobo
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Recipe
Coconut Chicken Curry
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 350 g (¾ lb) boneless chicken - thighs or breasts, but thighs are juicier - note 1
- 200 g (1 ¼ cups) onion - finely chopped
- 10 g (1 ¼ tablespoon) garlic - finely minced
- 20 g (3 tablespoon) ginger - finely minced
- 2 g (⅘ teaspoon) garam masala
- 1 g (½ teaspoon) ground cumin
- 1 g (½ teaspoon) ground turmeric
- 5 (5) cardamom pods only the ground seeds
- 20 g (1 ¼ tablespoon) tomato paste - note 2
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups) coconut milk
- 125 g (4 ⅙ cups) baby spinach - note 3
- 50 g (5 tablespoon) cashew nuts - crushed - note 4
- 10 g (1 ⅔ teaspoon) salt
- 6 g (1 ½ teaspoon) sugar
- 1 g (½ teaspoon) black pepper - freshly ground
For the buckwheat
Extras
- 10 g (⅔ tablespoon) lime juice - freshly squeezed
- 50 g (2 ½ tablespoon) natural yoghurt - optional
- pinch dried chilli flakes - optional - note 6
Instructions
For the buckwheat:
- Cook the buckwheat first as it can wait in the pot and keep warm.
- Weigh out 200g of buckwheat and rinse it a few times in tap water.
- Place a small pot with 200g rinsed buckwheat, 300g water, 2g salt and 25g butter(oil if vegan) on the stove.
- Bring to the boil.
- Cover with a lid and turn the stove down to a minimum.
- Cook on minimum for 15 minutes.
- When the 15 minutes is up. Do not remove the lid.
- Turn off the stove and let the buckwheat continue to steam for another 3 minutes with the lid on. Exactly the same as cooking rice.
For the sauce:
- Fry onions until soft and translucent.
- Add minced ginger and garlic. Cook for a few minutes till soft.
- Add tomato paste and spices. Cook a few minutes more.
- Add chicken and cashew nuts(or vegetables if you're vegan).
- Cook 3 minutes and add coconut milk, chopped spinach, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
- Add the lime juice just before serving.
To serve:
- Dish up in a nice big bowl. Serve the buckwheat or rice on the side.
- Add the yoghurt and dried chilli flakes. You could also add a bit of fresh coriander (totally optional)
Notes
- Make this recipe vegan by substituting the chicken for vegetables or chickpeas.
- Make sure to cook out the tomato paste well.
- Use frozen spinach if you can't get fresh.
- Omit the nuts if you are allergic or don't have them.
- You can serve it with rice or couscous instead of buckwheat.
- If you like it spicy then add fresh or dried chillies.
Lisa
Will the cashews make it bitty? Or can you make it as a paste first?
Charlé Visser
Usually it's not unpleasantly bitty. If you want it smoothy then just paste it before into a cashew butter. Or just buy cashew butter.
Andy
Hi Charlé,
I'm just about to attempt this one with 18 portions. Regarding the chicken cooking time, a total of 8 minutes (3 cooking and 5 simmering) with chicken thighs whole - is this correct? Is there any searing beforehand? A little anxious about under cooking.
Cheers,
Andy
Charlé Visser
It’s for boneless smallish thighs. If it’s while thighs, sear before hand and then simmer for 25 to 30 minutes slowly.
Andy
Thanks - this is an absolute winner!