Suraikkai Chicken

Ingredients

• - 500g bottle gourd and chicken
• - 3 tbsp sesame oil or oil
• - 2 large onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• - 1 tsp red chilli powder
• - 1 tsp coriander powder
• - 1/2 tsp turmeric
• - 1/2 tsp garam masala
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - Salt to taste
• - Fresh coriander

Method

1. Marinate chicken: Cut 500g chicken into pieces. Mix with half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and salt. Marinate 20 minutes.
2. Prepare bottle gourd: Peel 250g surakkai (bottle gourd). Remove seeds and cut into 2-cm cubes.
3. Fry shallots: Heat 3 tbsp oil. Add 1 cup sliced shallots and fry on medium heat 8 minutes until golden.
4. Add ginger-garlic and green chilli: Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and 3 slit green chillies. Fry 2 minutes.
5. Add marinated chicken: Add chicken and fry on high heat 6-8 minutes until sealed on all sides.
6. Add bottle gourd: Add diced bottle gourd to the chicken. Mix well to combine.
7. Add thin coconut milk: Add 1.5 cups thin coconut milk. Season with salt.
8. Cover and simmer: Cook on medium-low heat 20 minutes until chicken is tender and bottle gourd is completely soft.
9. Add thick coconut milk: Reduce heat to very low. Add half cup thick coconut milk. Stir gently and cook 3-4 minutes. Do not boil.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Suraikkai chicken should be pale golden with a creamy coconut broth. Serve with appam, idiyappam or steamed rice.