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Let's start the preparation of Chicken Kolhapuri by preparing the flavourful masala.
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This is done by dry roasting 50 gms of grated coconut, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds, and 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds in a pan over medium flame.
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In doing this process, one needs to continuously stir it to roast evenly without letting it burn.
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Roast until the mixture is golden brown and nutty-scented; it should be the perfect roast for the ingredients.
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Roast this mixture, and keep it aside. Once cooled, blend this mixture with the other ingredients to a fine paste. Add a bit of water if it does not form a smooth paste. This paste will be the foundation of the Kolhapuri curry.
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Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large kadai or deep pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds. Let it splutter. The nutty hint comes from the mustard seeds.
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Add 1 large chopped onion. Heat it up in the pan till it becomes browned. Stir the onions constantly to avoid burning. When they turn nicely browned, add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste. Saut the paste for about 2 minutes. This will make the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappear.
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Add 2 finely chopped tomatoes to the pan once the ginger-garlic paste has cooked. Let the tomatoes be soft and mushy by cooking them for some time.
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The step is important as it will help in furnishing the base for tangy, slightly sweet tastes in your curry.
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After the tomatoes are well-cooked, add the ground paste from step 1 to it. Now add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, red chili powder (1 teaspoon), garam masala (1 teaspoon), and salt as per taste. The curries get colour, heat, and so much depth from these spices.
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Mix everything well; cook the masala for 5-7 minutes, allowing flavours to mingle. Stir occasionally, at low to medium heat, till oil separates from masala; that's when you know masala is done.
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When the masala is ready, the pan will hold 500 gms of cleaned and washed chicken pieces; mix the chicken really well with masala, so each piece of chicken is coated completely with rich and spicy masala.
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Add the remaining half of the masala to the chicken and continue to cook over a medium flame for 10 minutes, so that all flavours of masala penetrate within it.
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Stir well at times to avoid sticking. In about 10 minutes, the chicken will start leaving its juices and bring them into fusion with masala, deepening its flavour more.
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Add 1 cup of water to the pan after cooking the chicken for 10 minutes. Stir well, and then bring the curry to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to low for the curry to simmer for 20–25 minutes. It is through simmering that the chicken will cook better and be tender while the gravy thickens.
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The curry starts to simmer and thicken into a rich, aromatic gravy from the roasted coconut and spices. If you want it thicker, just let it simmer longer; if you want it a little lighter, add a bit more water to your gravy.
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Once the chicken is fully cooked and the gravy reaches your desired consistency, turn off the heat. Garnish Chicken Kolhapuri with chopped fresh coriander leaves to add a refreshing flavour and pop of colour to the dish.
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Serve hot-spicy chicken kolhapuri with roti, naan, or steamed rice.
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The fiery flavours of the curry go extremely well against the mildness of the bread or rice, making it a great meal.
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Chicken Kolhapuri is the perfect blend of aromatic spices and rich masala that simply evokes a dish packed with flavour as such.
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This is a quintessential recipe—of carefully roasted masala paste and slowly cooked chicken—that captures the essence of traditional Kolhapuri cuisine.
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Recipe of Chicken Kolhapuri will surely be your favourite, whether you are bold or just an aspiring experiment.
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The dish must be relished with friends and family and savoured with the taste of Maharashtra!