Coconut & Lime

January 15, 2006

Goan Chicken With Roasted Coconut (Shakoothi)

Goan Chicken With Roasted Coconut(Shakoothi)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 inch of cinnamon, coarsely chopped
4 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/6 of a whole nutmeg
1 dried hot red chile
4 fresh hot green chiles
2 cups grated coconut
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch cube of fresh ginger, coarsely shopped
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium low heat, roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, nutmeg and the red chile. Stir frequently until the spices are fragrant. Empty the spices into and grind until fine with a mortar and pestle or in a grinder. Set aside. Put the coconut into the same frying pan and dry roast it over medium heat. When the coconut begins to develop brown flecks, remove from flame and add to the spices in the bowl.
In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, ginger, and green chile 4 tablespoon of water until it forms a paste. In a large frying pan, heat the oil. When hot, add the chicken, coconut-spice mixture and a sprinkle of salt. Stir the chicken until it loses its pinkness and starts to turn slightly brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining water and bring to simmer. Cover tightly and cook on low until the chicken is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally and turning the pieces over. Before serving, pierce one piece of chicken to make sure it is cooked through.


My thoughts:
This was a very interesting chicken dish to make. It was fun to work with a fresh coconut. I liked having something that was coconut-y without being sweet, a combination that is sometimes difficult to do.

(posted by Rachel at 2:51 PM)