Koli saaru aka Chicken Sambar

3:58 PM Unknown 2 Comments

I'm super excited to share this recipe!! Something that has been made within our family for generations :) A little unique and best of all, tastes amazing!! This dish is really close to my heart and stomach ;) My mother makes the best koli saaru in the whole universe. No joke, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of cousins of mine who can vouch for this.!
This can be eaten with ragi mudde, rice, chapathi, akki rotti, shaavige (rice noodles), idli, dosa or just as a soup :) I even enjoy eating this with bread too. The options are endless.

Ingredients:

  • Cleaning:
    • 1/2 cup of vinegar
    • 1 tsp of turmeric.
  • Masala
    • 3/4 of a medium onion chopped
    • 5 to 6 garlic cloves (mine were a little big)
    • 1 inch cinnamon stick
    • 6 cloves
    • 3 tsp of red chilli powder
    • 3/4 tbsp of coriander powder
  • 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp of ghee
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 lbs chicken cut into pieces (medium or small pieces)
  • salt to taste
  • Additionally
    • 1/2 cup of grated coconut
    • 1/2 tsp of poppy seeds
Method:
  • To clean the chicken, cut pieces of chicken, add about 1/2 cup of vinegar and turmeric, a little water if needed and let sit for about 10 mins. This step is very essential. I am very particular with the cleaning process.  While this is soaking, carry on with making masala.

  • In a vessel, add a tsp if oil and add the ingredients mentioned in the masala section. First the cinnamon stick and cloves, cook till you smell the aroma and later add the garlic and onion and cook till the onion brown slightly. 


  • Once the onions are brown, switch off the flame and add the red chilli powder and coriander powder. The heat will cook the spices. 




  • Let the above sit till it cools down. Once cooled, grind it to a paste with little water. I used my trusted preethi mixer.



  • Now to a bigger vessel (I used a prestige pressure cooker) add about 2 tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it till its slightly brown. 

  • At this point, wash the chicken (which was marinating in vinegar and turmeric) thoroughly and add it to the above with turmeric and cook till the water evaporates. 


  • Now add the masala and cook till you see some change in color.



  • Add water till it covers the chicken, cover and let cook for 2 whistles. 

  • Allow the cooker to cool and more salt if needed and also the ghee.
  • This is it!! :) Very sure your house will smell amazing while your making this dish. And tastes even better!! Now look at the below picture. You know your dish is cooked very well if you see a layer of oil and fat floating. This is an indication that the masala is cooked well.

I served the sambar with organic brown rice



Additionally:
  • You could even add some coconut to the above made sambar. For this, in a mixer, add 1/2 cup of coconut and 1/2 tsp of poppy seeds. Grind it to a smooth paste. Add this to the above. 
  • This takes the dish to a whole new level. This time I did not add coconut since I did not have coconut at home. 
  • You could even add coconut milk with poppy seed paste. 
Its very important to make sure the water in chicken evaporates completely before you add the masala. This will take out the bad smell in chicken.
Also while cooking the masala, cook it really well. The oil separating is a very good indication.
Let us know what you think of this traditional dish :) Share and subscribe!!

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