Mooli - Traditional chicken stew (Serves 6)

Below is what Chindus has to say about this delicious chicken stew..

‘The taste of memory’ – how apt for what we have for you today. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of mooli is the anticipation of being able to have, at last, non-vegetarian food after a long break. When I was a kid, I used to dream of appam and mooli awaiting me after mass, instead of giving any attention to what the priest drones on; not that I listen to him even now. The very smell of mooli takes me back to the bosom of the memories of my childhood. In my family appam and mooli is our traditional end-of-lent breakfast or the breakfast we have when we get back from church after Easter mass.

This recipe is from my paternal grandmother who passed away 6 years ago. I am not sure whether this recipe is her own creation or from her family because neither my mother nor my mother-in-law knows of it. Well, regardless of its origin, it is the perfect partner for appam. Enjoy!!!

Chicken 2 lbs, cut to bite size pieces
Big Onion  2 nos, chopped
Green chilies  6 nos, split lengthwise
Ginger 1 big piece juliened
Garlic 10 -18 pods juliened
Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon  1tsp powder or whole 6 each
Coconut  1 cup (ground to a paste)
Coconut milk  ½ cup thick milk and ½ cup thin milk
Turmeric powder  ¾ tsp
Lemon juice  3 tsp
Curry leaves  2 sprigs
Salt  as needed
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Oil  2 TBSP
Coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation

Heat oil (med high)and splutter the mustard seeds. Saute the whole spices and then ginger, green chilies and onion in that order for a minute. Now throw in the garlic and saute until a nice aroma oozes out. Add the coconut paste and turmeric powder. Cook till the water from the coconut paste has evaporated completely. Add the chicken pieces, salt and thin milk (randaam paal). Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Once the chicken is done, add lemon juice and remove from heat. Now, add the thick coconut milk (onnaam paal) and keep covered for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy with appam....

Tips

We prefer to use boneless chicken for this recipe, but one can use boned chicken too
If you need more spice to the curry, it can be adjusted by adding black pepper powder