Kozhi Ishtu with Do-sha ( The Humble Chicken Stew from Kerela)

So over my 12+ years in south India , there has been a tremendous increase in the presence of South Indian cuisine in my kitchen . Gone are the days when i would struggle to disengage the ' stubborn ' dosa from the pan and end up with half cooked horrible crumbs of things I don't even know if i should be calling a dosa . I had no idea on the how - to's of sambhar or rasam making , leave alone the complex nature of the array of chutneys , ghee roast or stews. Like any other outsider from this part of the world , for me there was absolutely no difference between andhra / kerelite / kanadiga or tamilian cuisine and everything was blanketed off as ' South Indian ' . My curiosity and interest in these cuisines self aroused themselves , when i started working and shared lunch at office with fellow colleagues . I realized that simple South Indian home made food was not only delicious , but had the prowess of an amazing balance of flavors . I still admire how perfectly the tamarind is balanced in a well made rasam and how every vegetable residue , has its tastiest form in the format of a quick spin chutney . I would be lying if i say i have learnt it all but yes , there has been reasonable progress .

What has evolved for me is that today , i have mastered the art of making flawless crispy dosa's ( which is an absolute feeling of accomplishment ) , learnt a few mouth -watering chutney recipes and can proudly differentiate that Puliyogare is from Andhra and Ambur biriyani originates in Tamil nadu . Today I endeavored to take my skills a step ahead and make the kozhi ishtu or the simple and humble chicken stew from kerela . While it is commonly paired with appams , I paired it with my perfect crispy do-sha . The delicate fresh coconut milk which is added to the stew , marries beautifully with the chicken stock , curry leaves and seasonal veges , to yield heavenly creamy goodness.

To add a twist , I added kaffir lime leaves to the stew and the flavour was to die for .

I am keeping the do-sha making for another day .

Till then , take a look into this !

Things you will need :

• 750 gms of chicken with bones - cut into medium size pieces

• 01 onion , thinly sliced

• 01 small red onion or shallots , thinly sliced

• 01 small potato , cubed

• 01 small carrot , cubed

• 01 tbsp ginger , thinly julienned

• 01 tbsp garlic , thinly sliced

• 01 - 02 green chillies , slit lengthwise

• 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

• 02 whole cardamom , 02 cloves , 01 pc cinnamon , 2 bay leaves

• 01 sprigs of curry leaves

• 01 and 1/2 cup of fresh coconut milk

• 06 - 08 cashew , soaked in hot water and made to a smooth paste (optional)

• 01 tbsp coconut oil

• Salt to taste

• 02- 03 kaffir lime leaves ( optional )

Steps to follow :

• In a large pressure cooker or in a pan, heat coconut oil - add the cardamom, cloves, whole pepper corn, cinnamon and bay leaves and saute for a minute.

• Add the sliced onions, ginger, garlic, slit green chilies and curry leaves; sauté till it turns to soft and pink in color - Note : Onions need not be browned for the stew.

• Add chicken pieces, cubed carrots, potatoes and salt. Combine everything well and add coconut milk and cover cook till the chicken is fully done .

• If you're using cashew paste , then add the grounded cashew paste to the thick coconut milk along with the kaffir lime leaves.

• In another small frying pan, heat the coconut oil and add in the sliced small red onion/shallots and curry leaves and fry till they become light brown color.

• Remove and add this to the stew and sprinkle with pepper powder , if needed.

• Delicious chicken stew is ready to serve. Serve hot with Do-sha or appams !