chicken sukka

This is an important side dish in South Karnataka.   I  used to catch the  tasty odour of sukka from our neighbor Sumitra Aunty’s kitchen.  Whenever she prepared sukka she never forgot to keep my share of food.  I proudly say that I have made it popular in my home and neighbourhood in Calicut.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken, cut into small pieces
1 onion, chopped finely
A sprig curry leaves
A small lemon sized ball of tamarind
3 tablespoon ghee(clarified butter)
Salt to taste

Roast the following and powder:

6 kashmiri chillies( or dry red chillies)
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 small piece ginger

Blend to a coarse paste:

4 tablespoon coconut, shredded
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 cloves garlic

Method:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a non-stick pan and
fry the powdered masala for about 3 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces and fry on a high heat,
stirring continously.
The chicken will now be well coated with
the masala.
Add about 1 cup of water and salt to taste.
Mix well and cook on a low flame till the
chicken is completely done.
There should be no gravy left at this stage.
Extract juice from the tamarind, by immersing it
in hot water for about 10 minutes.
Add this tamarind water to the chicken and the blended
paste.
Mix well and fry the chicken and masala on a high
heat for about 5 minutes.
The water content reduces.
Now turn to a lower heat and simmer till all
moisture in the gravy is lost.
In a seperate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and
add the chopped onion and curry leaves.
When the onions brown, add them to the chicken.
Mix well.