COUNTRY CHICKEN CURRY (gankukula, natu koli, village chicken)

INGREDIENTS

Country chicken 01 number cut into 24 pieces

Cardamoms crushed 06 numbers

Water 04 tea cups

Crystal salt diluted in water 01 tablespoon

Curry powder 02 tablespoons

Chili powder 02 teaspoons

Turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon

Onion sliced 01 number

Garlic chopped 06 numbers

Ginger chopped ¼ teaspoon

Dry chilies 04 numbers

Coconut scraped 06 tablespoons

Cloves 03 numbers

Cardamoms 03 numbers

Cinnamon powder 1/8 teaspoon

Tamarind paste 01 teaspoon

Table salt to taste

Corn or sunflower oil 01 tablespoon

METHOD

Wash the chicken well and put into a colander to drain the water. Put this into a pressure cooker with six numbers crushed cardamoms, tamarind, corn or sunflower oil, water and diluted crystal salt. Keep on maximum flame with the cover, when it starts steaming put the knob (weight) on, reduce flame and allow cooking for eight (08) minutes. Switch off and allow the built up energy to do the needful. Roast the scraped coconut in a cast iron pan, thatchi or kadai for a few minutes; now add rest of the ingredients except salt. Keep roasting till dry and grind this using the blender attachment which eventually will become a paste. Now mix chicken with the paste and keep simmering till almost thick, season to taste with salt.

PLEASE NOTE: If broiler chicken is being used do not pressure cook. Follow the same method but instead of boiling the chicken combine the paste with the chicken, add little water.

COUNTRY CHICKEN: The advantage of eating country chicken is good for the health as they grow up eating natural resources. These birds are let loose and have the opportunity of roaming around in the village, consuming all the nutrition at their will. The layers grow up to about 2 ½ years and then sold for food, but the meat is tough. The layers usually produce about 200 to 250 eggs which are usually more expensive than farm eggs. The cock birds are also sold when they grow old, so pressure cooking would be the ideal solution to enjoy this dish.