This wonderfully flavour-filled curry from the South of India has an abundance of fragrance and a lovely combination of herbaceous notes from fresh curry leaves. A thick, glossy sauce clings to the juicy chicken pieces making chicken chukka an excellent partner of bread or rice.
To make the spice powder, combine all the powder ingredients and set aside.
Heat a large pan with the vegetable oil and when hot add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, peppercorns and half of the curry leaves (around 20 leaves) and let them sizzle for 30 seconds before adding the onion.
Let the onion sauté gently for 7-8 minutes, until browned and lightly charred on some edges.
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add a little water (about ¼ cup) if the garlic starts to stick.
Stir in the spice powder along with the tomato pasata, chicken and salt and stir to coat well. Let this cook for 5-6 minutes until the pan is hot again, stirring frequently.
Add 2 cups water, let this come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently for 40 minutes uncovered. Stir frequently to avoid sticking. The sauce should thicken, but after 40 minutes, if it’s thin, turn up the heat to high and simmer to reduce the liquid. The chukka curry has quite a dry sauce so don’t be afraid to keep reducing.
Stir in the remaining fresh curry leaves and cherry tomatoes and serve with breads or rice.
Video
Notes
Serving Suggestions: Chicken Chukka is traditionally served in a dry thali style, along with other vegetable and meat dishes. It can be enjoyed as an appetizer with bread or as the main course with rice and Indian breads. For a delightful combination, serve with boiled rice and a fresh kachumber salad.Storage: In the fridge, chicken chukka remains fresh for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat in a pan or microwave until piping hot. For freezing, use an airtight container with a 1/4 cup water on top to prevent excessive drying. It can be frozen for 3+ months and reheated when needed.