Mangalorean Chicken Sukka Recipe – a delicious and aromatic dry chicken curry made with bone-in chicken, roasted spices, coconut, and also tamarind. The freshly roasted masala gives this Mangalore-style chicken its distinctive flavour, while the coconut adds richness and texture.
Unlike a gravy-based chicken curry like my Mangalorean Chicken Curry, chicken sukka is cooked until the masala becomes thick and coats the chicken beautifully. As a result, every piece of chicken is packed with the flavours of roasted spices, coconut and tangy tamarind.
This traditional-style Mangalorean Chicken Sukka recipe is perfect for a family meal and pairs wonderfully with steamed rice, chapati, roti or sannas.
Mangalorean Chicken Sukka Recipe
Chicken Sukka is a popular dry-style chicken preparation from the Mangalorean cuisine. The word sukka refers to a relatively dry preparation where the masala clings to the meat rather than forming a thin gravy.
The secret to a flavourful chicken sukka is the freshly roasted masala besides roasted coconut. Red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds and whole spices are roasted before being ground with coconut, garlic and tamarind.
Consequently, the finished curry has a wonderful balance of spice, aroma, nuttiness and mild tanginess.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is packed with the flavour of freshly roasted spices.
- The combination of coconut and tamarind also gives it a delicious coastal flavour.
- Bone-in chicken makes the curry particularly flavourful.
- The masala is thick and also coats the chicken beautifully.
- It is delicious with steamed rice, chapati, roti or sannas.
- Most importantly, it is a comforting homemade chicken curry that is full of authentic flavours.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- Chicken – 1 kg, curry-cut pieces, preferably bone-in
- Onions – 2, sliced
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 3 to 4 tablespoons, for cooking
For the Roasted Masala Paste
- Bedki red chillies – 10 to 12
- Coriander seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Fenugreek seeds – a few
- Mustard seeds – a pinch
- Garlic – 6 cloves
- Cinnamon – 1-inch piece
- Cloves – 4
- Black peppercorns – 1/2 teaspoon
- Star anise – 1
- Tamarind – pulp extracted from a small ball of tamarind
- Fresh coconut – 1 cup
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
How to Make This Mangalorean Chicken Sukka Recipe
1. Prepare the Chicken
Firstly, wash and drain the curry-cut chicken well. Set the chicken aside while you prepare the roasted masala.
2. Roast the Spices
Then, heat a pan and dry roast the red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds over low to medium heat. Then add the cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, and star anise. Roast the spices gently until they become aromatic. Also add the garlic cloves. Be careful so as to not burn them, as burnt spices can make the masala bitter. Once roasted, remove the spices from the pan and then allow them to cool slightly.
3. Grind the Masala
Now transfer the roasted spices along with a small ball of tamarind to a mixer grinder. Grind everything together with water to make a smooth and thick masala paste. The masala should be thick rather than watery because this is a dry-style chicken curry.
4. Roast the Coconut
In the same pan, add the fresh coconut and also a 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Roast gently until the coconut becomes aromatic and lightly changes colour. However, avoid over-roasting the coconut. Allow the roasted ingredients to cool, then grind coarsely and set aside.
5. Cook the Chicken
Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and sauté until they become soft and lightly golden. Next, add the chicken pieces, turmeric and salt and mix well. Cover and cook the chicken on medium heat for a few minutes. The chicken will release some moisture as it cooks.
6. Add the Mangalorean Masala
Once the chicken is partially cooked, add the freshly ground roasted masala paste. Mix thoroughly so that the masala coats all the chicken pieces. Then cover and continue cooking on medium-low heat until the chicken is completely cooked and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
7. Stir in the Coconut and Cook Until Dry
Finally, remove the lid and add the coarsely ground coconut and allow the curry to cook for a few more minutes. As the excess moisture evaporates, the roasted coconut masala will then become thick and cling to the chicken.
Your Mangalorean Chicken Sukka is now ready to serve.
Enjoy your homemade Mangalorean Chicken Sukka!
What to Serve with Chicken Sukka
Mangalorean Chicken Sukka is wonderfully versatile. Besides rice, you can serve it with:
- ghee rice
- Chapati
- Roti
- Neer dosa
- Sannas
- Appam
- Plain rice and dal
Final Thoughts on Mangalorean Chicken Sukka Recipe
This Mangalorean Chicken Sukka Recipe is a wonderful example of the rich flavours found in coastal Indian cooking. The combination of roasted spices, fresh coconut, garlic, and tamarind creates a deeply aromatic masala that coats the chicken beautifully.
Moreover, because the recipe uses freshly roasted and ground spices, the flavour is quite different from an ordinary chicken curry.
If you enjoy traditional Indian recipes, regional flavours and comforting home-style cooking, do give this Mangalorean-style Chicken Sukka a try.
Chicken Recipes You May Like
Chicken Frithad| East Indian Chicken Curry
One-Pot Chicken Curry with Bottle Masala
Printable Recipe Card
Mangalorean Chicken Sukka Recipe | Dry Chicken Curry with Coconut
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 kg Chicken curry-cut pieces, preferably bone-in
- 2 Onions sliced
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt – to taste
- 3 to 4 tbsp Oil for cooking
For the Roasted Masala
- 12 Bedki red chillies
- 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- Fenugreek seeds – a few
- Mustard seeds – a pinch
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 4 Cloves
- ½ tsp Black peppercorns
- 1 Star anise
- Tamarind – a small ball
- ½ cup Fresh coconut – 1 cup
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
Instructions
- Wash the chicken and keep aside.
- Dry roast the chillies, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard and whole spices and garlic until aromatic.
- Roast the coconut separately. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric. Grind coarsely and set aside.
- Grind the roasted ingredients with tamarind to make a thick masala paste.
- Heat oil and sauté the sliced onions until lightly golden.
- Add the chicken, turmeric and salt and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the prepared masala paste and mix well.
- Cover and cook until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the lid of the pan, add coconut and cook until the excess moisture evaporates and the masala coats the chicken.
- Serve hot with rice, chapati, roti, sannas or your favourite accompaniment.
Notes
If you like my recipe then please share it on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram @flavoursofmykitchen #flavoursofmykitchen2019.
Please leave your comments and also give the recipe your star ratings. Besides, you can also get in touch with me at flavoursofmykitchen2019@gmail.com.
For the recipe, and updates please subscribe to our Newsletter and also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter.