Goan Chicken Xacuti ( Goan Chicken Curry)

Goan Chicken Xacuti ( Goan Chicken Curry) - Vidya Nayak Shenoy‎
Ingredients:
500g Chicken (with bone or boneless)
2 tomatoes
2 and 1/2 onions (medium)
Coriander to garnish

For the masala:
1/2 cup fresh coconut or dried coconut or mix of both ( I used Natco’s dried coconut)
1 and 1/2 onion
2 Tspn coriander seeds
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
1/2 star anise ( around 3-4 petals)
1 inch piece of cinnamon
4-5 cloves
8-9 pepper corns
1 tspn shahi jeera
1/4 piece of nutmeg
1 Tspn poppy seeds
5-6 red chillies
8-10 garlic (small )
a small ball of tamarind

For marinade:
1/4 cup of coriander leaves
1 inch piece of ginger
2 garlic pods
2 green chillies
2 Tspn curd
1/2 tspn turmeric powder

Method:
Prepare the marinade:
Grind together coriander leaves, ginger, garlic and green chillies. ( you can replace ginger-garlic with ginger garlic paste.)
Wash and clean the chicken pieces.
Apply the ground masala, turmeric powder and curd to the chicken pieces .
Marinate for 1/2 -1 hour.

Prepare the masala:
Slice the onions.
Dry roast on a slow flame the following spices:

cinnamon, coriander seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, peppercorns, red chillies, nutmeg, shahi jeera and star anise
Keep stirring the mix in between till a nice aroma comes ( the coriander seeds will be slightly browned). (approx 7-8 mins)

Take out on a plate and leave it to cool for a while.

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions, garlic pieces and coconut on slow flame till the coconut gets a golden color. Keep stirring the mix while it’s roasting. (takes approx. 10 mins)

Take it out on a plate and allow it to cool .

Grind together the roasted spices, roasted coconut mix, turmeric powder and tamarind with around 1/2 cup of water to a fine paste. (add water as required to make the paste fine, but make sure it does not turn very watery).

For the main chicken dish:

Chop the remaining onions and tomatoes.

Heat around a table spoon of oil in a pan and add onions to it. Add a pinch of salt for the onions to cook faster.Once the onions are lightly browned add in the tomatoes. Fry for a few minutes.

Now add in the marinated chicken. Fry for 5-6 minutes. ( Cooking times will vary when you use chicken with bone).

Add in the ground masala and salt to taste. Mix well.

Cook for 25-30 mins on medium flame. Check if the chicken is done else let it cook for few more mins.