Goan Chicken Xacuti White Spice Coconut Roasted Complex

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken — bone-in pieces
• For xacuti masala:
• 1 cup freshly grated coconut — dry-roasted dark golden
• 1 medium onion — roughly chopped and dry-roasted
• 8 dried red chillies
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 6 black peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick — 3 cm
• 2 star anise
• 1/2 nutmeg — grated
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion — finely sliced
• 2 tomatoes — chopped
• Salt

Method

1. Make the roasted coconut masala: dry-roast grated coconut in a pan on medium, stirring continuously, until deep golden brown.
2. Transfer. In the same pan dry-roast roughly chopped onion until charred at edges.
3. In the same pan dry-roast dried red chillies, then all the whole spices together briefly until fragrant.
4. Blend all roasted coconut, onion, chillies, spices and turmeric with minimal water into a very thick paste.
5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy pot. Add finely sliced onion.
6. Cook on medium for 10 minutes until deep golden.
7. Add the roasted coconut masala. Fry stirring for 5 minutes on medium — the raw smell should transform and oil should begin to surface.
8. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes.
9. Add chicken pieces. Coat with the masala. Add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil.
10. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 35 to 40 minutes until chicken is completely tender and the sauce is thick and deeply fragrant. Season with salt.