#235 Goan style Konkan KomdiCha Xaguthi



It may seem like chicken curries are cooked under seemingly similar methods and using the same old spices. However,  the Xaguthi is a Konkani dish made with coconut and of course the main ingredient in curries-roasted spices. Portuguese in origin, the Xacuti is normally served on Holidays especially Christmas season with bread or steamed rice.  The gravy has a distinct nutty taste amplified by the roasted coconut and nutmeg in the ground masala.  I bet the same cooking technique is used for a Kerala chicken curry my mother used to make.  But this one has an unusual twist of nutmeg and bay leaves, and my bet turned out to be right when I started making the gravy.

Ingredients :

2 lb chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 Tblspn. Salt ,
10 clove of garlic
3" ginger
½ bunch coriander leaves
2 green chillies
1 tsp. Tumeric powder

½ cup grated coconut
4 large onions sliced
Olive oil
2 Tbslpn kashmiri chilli powder

2 cloves
2 cardamom pods

2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
1/4^th of a whole nutmeg
1 tbsps. Coriander seeds
½ tsp. saunf(fennel seeds)
2 Bay leaves

1 tbsps. Ghee
2 large onions (chopped)
12 Tblspn chopped garlic
1 tsps pepper
1 tspn ginger paste
3-4 tomatoes(cut into quarters)


Preparation :

Clean chicken and cut into small pieces(about 1 inch cubes). Chicken with bones are preferred for this recipe but you could use Chicken breasts.  Apply salt and keep aside. Grind the next 5 ingredients and apply to the chicken. Keep aside.

Take a frying pan and roast the grated coconut along with sliced onions till light brown. Grind to a thick paste and keep aside.   In the same pan, roast the whole spices lightly. Turn off the stove and add the chili powder. Remove the mixture into a blender/spice mill. Next, sprinkle a little oil if necessary to the pan, and roast coriander seeds, very lightly. Toss it with the toasted spices. Grind all the roasted spices together to a fine paste. Take a large pan, melt ghee, add onions and ginger/garlic and saute until soft and tender.

Add marinated chicken, cover the pan and cook until it is cooked and juices run clear. Mix spice paste, pepper and coconut paste into the meat. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes quarters and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon slices and cilantro