Description
Chicken Varuval, also known as Chicken Chukka, is a flavorful South Indian dry chicken curry made with a roasted spice blend, curry leaves, shallots, and sesame oil. This spicy and aromatic dish features tender chicken cooked until the masala clings perfectly, delivering a rich and spicy experience. Ideal for serving alongside rice, rasam, sambar, or Indian breads like chapati or dosa.
Ingredients
Chicken and Aromatics
- 500 grams bone-in chicken (or boneless)
- 6 to 8 shallots (or ½ cup finely chopped yellow/Indian onions)
- 1½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste (or 1 teaspoon each grated)
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ⅓ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (or any cooking oil of choice)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 sprigs curry leaves (fresh, pat dry, divided; omit if unavailable)
Spice Blend
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 cloves
- 1-inch piece cinnamon
- 2 green cardamom pods
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 4 dried red chilies (or ½ to ¾ teaspoon chili powder)
- 1 tablespoon dried shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 tablespoon roasted gram (or 8 to 10 cashews or 3 tablespoons almond flour)
Instructions
- Make the spice blend: On medium heat, dry roast dried red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and black peppercorns until aromatic and crunchy. Add 1 sprig of curry leaves, dried shredded coconut, and roasted gram. Toast for about one minute until the curry leaves turn crisp. Remove from heat, cool, and then grind everything into a fine powder to form the masala.
- Preparation: Finely chop, crush, or pulse the shallots (or onions) using a chopper or knife. Set aside.
- Temper: Heat sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the remaining sprig of curry leaves and the crushed shallots. Sauté until the shallots turn light golden and lose their raw flavor, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for an additional 40 to 50 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken and spices: Add the chicken pieces to the pan along with salt and turmeric powder. Sauté on high flame until the chicken turns white, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the pan and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes to allow the chicken to release its moisture.
- Cook chicken with masala: Stir in the prepared powdered spice blend. Cook the chicken gently until it is tender and fully cooked through. If the pan is too dry and the masala is sticking excessively, add ¼ cup of hot water to help the cooking process. This step depends on the moisture content released by the chicken and is optional.
- Reduce moisture and finalize: Remove the lid to let any excess moisture evaporate, so the masala clings well to the chicken pieces. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Optionally, garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve: Serve the chicken varuval hot with steamed rice, rasam, sambar, ghee rice, chapati, or dosa for a complete South Indian meal experience.
Notes
- You can use boneless chicken for quicker cooking or bone-in chicken for more flavor.
- If fresh curry leaves are unavailable, you can omit them, but they add a signature aroma to the dish.
- Adjust dried chili quantity according to your spice preference.
- Roasted gram can be substituted with cashews or almond flour as a thickening agent in the masala.
- Use sesame oil to get an authentic South Indian flavor; other oils will work but the flavor will differ.
- This dish pairs excellently with plain rice and lentil-based dishes like rasam or sambar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: South Indian
