Chicken mappas

Ingredients

• 750 g chicken drumsticks, chopped into bite - sized pieces
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 5 cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into julienne
• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 ½ cups thinly sliced red onions
• 4 sprigs curry leaves
• 5 green chillies, sliced in half
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 500 ml (2 cups) thin coconut milk
• 250 ml (1 cup) thick coconut milk, plus extra to serve
• fried curry leaves, to serve

Spice mix

• 2 green cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1 ½ tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground black pepper powder
• ½ cinnamon stick
• ½ star anise
• ½ tsp fennel seeds

Instructions

1. Place the chicken in a bowl, add the salt and turmeric and stir to coat well. Set aside.
2. For the spice mix, place all the ingredients in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder.
3. Place the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle or small food processor and pound until a paste forms.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy - based saucepan or clay pot with lid over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the spice mix and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the onion and stir until well coated in the oil. Add the ginger and garlic paste and the chillies and cook for 5 - 6 minutes or until the onions are light golden.
5. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat well. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the vinegar and thin coconut milk. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes.
6. Add the thick coconut milk and simmer for another 2 -3 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve drizzled with a little extra coconut milk and scattered with fried curry leaves.

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