Maharashtra Kolhapuri Chicken Tambda Rassa Fiery Red Curry

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken — bone-in pieces
• For Kolhapuri masala:
• 1 cup freshly grated coconut — dry-roasted dark golden
• 6 dried Kashmiri red chillies
• 3 to 4 dried Bedgi red chillies (for additional heat)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick — 3 cm
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 medium onions — thinly sliced and dry-roasted dark
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 3 pieces kokum — soaked in 2 tbsp warm water
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion — finely chopped
• Salt

Method

1. Make Kolhapuri masala: dry-roast all whole spices and sesame seeds together briefly.
2. Dry-roast coconut until very dark — this is the key step in Kolhapuri cooking.
3. Dry-roast the two onions until charred at edges.
4. Blend dark-roasted coconut, onions, all spices, chillies and turmeric with minimal water into a thick, very dark paste.
5. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy pot. Add finely chopped onion.
6. Cook 12 minutes until very dark golden. Add ginger-garlic paste. Cook 3 minutes.
7. Add the Kolhapuri masala. Fry stirring for 6 to 8 minutes on medium — the masala must cook out its raw taste and the oil should start to surface.
8. Add kokum water. Add chicken pieces. Coat with masala. Cook on medium-high 5 minutes.
9. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 30 to 35 minutes until chicken is completely tender.
10. Season with salt. The tambda rassa should be very dark, fiery, sour from kokum and deeply fragrant.