Chicken Varuval|Kozhi Varuval|Pan fried Chicken means pan fried, dry chicken without any curry or gravy in the dish. There are many chicken varuval recipes out there, but this one is my favorite. I borrowed this recipe from my aunt, Suba, who also makes the best biryani in the family ;). This recipe calls for a coconut masala base and some whole spices. It is very easy to make and can be served with rice/chappathis.
Coconut
One of the most important ingredient in South-Indian cooking is coconut. Grated coconut is usually added to whole spice and ground to a fine a smooth masala paste. Another variation is Coconut milk, which is also widely used in many recipes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Here is an interesting article highlighting the importance and benefits of using coconut in cooking.
How to make Chicken Varuval|Kozhi Varuval|Pan fried Chicken?
To make this easy Chicken Varuval|Kozhi Varuval|Pan fried Chicken you need simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. Whole spices such as pepper, fennel, cinnamon, cloves are used in this recipe.
In this recipe, grated coconut is added to dry roasted whole spices such as pepper, fennel along with chili powder, turmeric powder, coariander powder and ground to a smooth paste. This is base for our chicken varuval.
Cinnamon and cloves are tempered in oil and finely chopped onions are added to the spices. The onion are sautéed until they turn golden brown and then ginger-garlic paste is added followed by curry leaves. Now the chicken is added to the onions and it is cooked for 5 minutes. Now the coconut masala is added along with a cup of hot water and salt. Mix everything thoroughly and give it a taste. Now is the time to add more chili powder or salt according to your taste. Let the chicken cook in the masala until you see oil separation on the surface of the gravy. Scoop out the extra gravy from the pan and keep it aside. Now turn up the heat and begin roasting the chicken. Roast the chicken until it is crispy and brown on the outside.
Serving suggestion
The Chicken Varuval|Kozhi Varuval|Pan fried Chicken can be served as a side dish with any any gravy or curry along with steamed white rice. The extra gravy that we scooped out can be served with steamed white rice or as a side dish for chappathis/rotis/dosa/idly.
Try this recipe in your kitchen and let me know how it turned out.
Happy cooking!!
For more side dish recipes, click here.
Chicken Varuval |Kozhi Varuval
Ingredients
- 2½ lb chicken cut into small pieces
- 2 tsp fennel seeds dry roasted
- 2 tsp pepper dry roasted
- 1 cup grated coconut or store bought coconut flakes
- 1 tsp chili powder or as required
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- water as required
- salt as required
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic aste refer notes to learn how to make ginger-garlic paste
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 large onions finely chopped
Instructions
Dry Roast
- Dry roast the required amount of pepper and fennel (separately) on medium heat, until the spices release aromas. Do not burn the spices
- Let the spices cool down
Coconut Masala
- Now add the roasted fennel, pepper, coconut flakes to a spice grinder/ mixer
- Grind them until they are quite coarse and then add chili powder, turmeric, and coriander powder
- Now add 2-3 tbsp of water (or as required) and grind the coconut mixture to smooth paste
Make the Chicken Varuval |Kozhi Varuval
- Heat oil on medium-high heat in a shallow frying pan
- Now temper the whole spices: cinnamon and cloves in the oil. Let them splutter.
- Add the onions and fry them till they golden brown
- Now add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds or so
- Now add a sprig of curry leaves and sauté
- Add the chicken and salt to the pan and sauté everything for at least 3-5 minutes
- Now add the ground coconut mix and give everything a good mix
- Add a cup of warm water to the chicken and mix everything thoroughly
- Cook until chicken is done and you see oil on the surface of the gravy in the pan
- Scoop out the excess gravy (save it to be had with hot white rice/dosa/idly)!
- Turn the heat to high, and start roasting the chicken until its golden brown on the outside
- Turn off the heat and serve immediately with steamed white rice or chappathis or rotis.
Notes
Direction with pictures
Dry Roast
1.Dry roast the required amount of pepper and fennel (separately) on medium heat, until the spices release aromas. Do not burn the spices
2. Let the spices cool down
Coconut Masala
1. Now add the roasted fennel, pepper, coconut flakes to a spice grinder/ mixer
2. Grind them until they are quite coarse and then add chili powder, turmeric, and coriander powder
3. Now add 2-3 tbsp of water (or as required) and grind the coconut mixture to smooth paste
Make the Chicken Varuval |Kozhi Varuval
1.Heat oil on medium-high heat in a shallow frying pan
2. Now temper the whole spices: cinnamon and cloves in the oil. Let them splutter.
3. Add the onions and fry them till they golden brown
4. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds or so
5. Now add a sprig of curry leaves and sauté
6. Add the chicken and salt to the pan and sauté everything for at least 3-5 minutes
7. Now add the ground coconut mix and give everything a good mix
8. Add a cup of warm water to the chicken and mix everything thoroughly
9. Cook until chicken is done and you see oil on the surface of the gravy in the pan
10. Scoop out the excess gravy (save it to be had with hot white rice/dosa/idly)!
11. Turn the heat to high, and start roasting the chicken until its golden brown on the outside
12. Turn off the heat and serve immediately with steamed white rice or chappathis or rotis.
