Kozhi Varutharachathu

Chicken in roasted coconut gravy — whole coconut gratings, shallots, dried red chilli, coriander seeds, and black pepper are dry-roasted in a heavy pan until the coconut turns dark brown and almost charred, then ground with ginger and garlic into a thick, dark, aromatic paste. Chicken pieces fried in coconut oil with whole spices and onion until golden, then the dark roasted coconut paste added and the whole cooked with water until the chicken is tender and the thick, almost black-brown gravy coats the pieces. The roasted coconut paste — varutharacha masala — is the defining technique: it produces a nutty, smoky, intense gravy completely unlike the pale coconut milk curries of the coast. Specific to the Central Travancore region; particularly associated with Kottayam and Pathanamthitta Syrian Christian kitchens.