Baby Moothamma's Chicken Masala

“You can't just eat good food. You've got to talk about it too. And you've got to talk about it to somebody who understands that kind of food.”― Kurt Vonnegut, Jailbird

I often wonder what it is about food that transports us back in time. It happens so often with me that I am flabbergasted. I seem to remember so much more than I am actually capable of. 

One whiff or mention of the dish takes me back to that particular day or event. I see everything clearly - the uncomfortable chair, the annoying humdrum of the refrigerator, the sticky plastic cover on the dining table, vessels clattering from the kitchen next doors, the warmth of the afternoon sun, the allotted steel plates with partitions and the love morphed as overfeeding,  that always accompanies an Indian Lunch. Everything is clear like it happened yesterday. It has been years and suddenly, I am transported to that crowded dining room in Moothamma's house.

Now, thousands of miles away, sitting alone at my table for lunch, it is such memories that bind me to the food I see before me.

Today's recipe is one such dish. Baby Moothamma is my father's Brother's wife. This is her trademark curry that we all love. I do like her tomato chutney, potato fry and her chicken biriyani. But this curry along with the potatoes is what we all ask her to make each time we visit her. Now that it is a favorite, Amma makes it too. It is a close second, but still not same as the one Moothamma makes. Years ago, I used to ask Amma to make it for me whenever I was home. Then I realized, I could make it myself. Now I make my own version - Let's say it is a close second to Amma's version. 

Ingredients :

Chicken - 750 gms - Washed and cleaned

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp ( Add more if you can handle the heat)
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Mix the chicken pieces and mix all the above spice powders. Pressure cook the chicken pieces for 2 whistles with minimal water required. Keep aside.

Grind together :

Coconut - grated - 3/4th Cup

Saunf - 3/4 tsp

Green Cardamom - 2 - just the seeds ( Without skin)

Grind the above together adding very little water into a coarse paste. Keep aside.


Bay leaves -2
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2 - Small pieces
Onion - 2 - large - Chopped into small pieces
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 Tbsp.
Tomatoes - 2 - Chopped into long slices
Green Chillies - 1 - adjust according to your spice.
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 Stalk
Coriander Leaves - 5-6 stalks - Chopped ( I did not use it this time, but you please do)
Ghee - 1 tsp ( Optional but I recommend it)

Method :

In a pan, heat oil and add Mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
Now add the bay leaves, cloves and Cinnamon. Allow the spices to release the flavor.
Add the chopped Onions and sauté. Cook till the onions sweat.
To this add the ginger-garlic paste. Cook till the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappears. Add the slit green Chilli and curry leaves.
Now add the sliced tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes soften.
Add the cooked chicken pieces, with the water from pressure cooking and mix well. Add salt and more Red Chilli powder if required. 
To this add the coconut paste and mix well so that the chicken pieces are coated in the masala.
Allow the masala to cook on a low flame for 8-10 minutes, till the water has been absorbed. 
Add Pepper Powder and ghee and give it a good mix. Switch off the flame. Cover and rest.
Serve warm with rice. 

Notes : 

As always, you can adjust the consistency of the masala. If you prefer dry, just cook longer till the wetness is absorbed. I prefer to keep it as a wet masala usually. 

The actual curry is spicier and an inviting red. My daughter just will not eat spicy food. So I go with the mildly spiced version. Hence, my curry looks pale. 

White rice with Rasam is the ideal combination I hear. Here, I served it with rice cooked in chicken stock.