Kerala

Pidi and kozhi curry

Soft rice dumplings simmered in a roasted coconut chicken curry. A Kerala celebration in one deep pot.

90 minTime

34 gProtein each

mediumSpice

Make it your way

Grandma's wayRoasted coconut, hand rolled pidi and a big pot for the family.

The original

627kcal

34 gprotein

8 gfibre

90minutes

Pidiyum kozhiyum as central Kerala homes make it.

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table. Grandma's way is the starting point the other versions are compared with.

Chicken, curry cut (bone in chicken, small pieces)750 g, curry cut

Fresh grated coconut1¼ cups: 80 g to roast, 50 g for the pidi

Shallots6 to 8, 4 to roast, rest sliced

Coriander powder (ground coriander)2 tbsp

Kashmiri chilli powder1¼ tbsp

Fennel seeds1 tsp

Black pepper¾ tsp

Garam masala1¼ tsp

Rice flour2 cups roasted rice flour

Cumin seeds½ tsp

Saltto taste, divided

Waterabout 3 3/4 cups: 300 ml boiling for the pidi, the rest for the curry

Coconut oil3 tbsp

Onion1 large, sliced

Ginger2.5 cm, crushed

Garlic6 cloves, crushed

Green chilli3, slit

Curry leaves2 to 3 sprigs

Turmeric (ground turmeric)¼ tsp

Tomato1 medium, chopped

6 steps

1Roast 80 g coconut and 4 shallots in a dry heavy pan on low, stirring constantly, until deep brown. Add the coriander, chilli, fennel, pepper and garam masala for 30 seconds. Cool and grind to a smooth paste with a little water.
2For the pidi, mix the rice flour, 50 g coconut, cumin and a pinch of salt. Pour in about 300 ml boiling water a little at a time, mixing with a spoon. When cool enough, knead smooth and roll into marble sized balls.
3Heat the coconut oil and fry the onion, sliced shallots, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves until golden. Add the turmeric and tomato and cook until soft.
4Add the chicken and salt and stir until the pieces turn opaque. Add the ground paste and the remaining water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5Bring the curry to a steady boil and drop in the pidi a few at a time. Cover and simmer gently, stirring carefully now and then, until the pidi are cooked through and the chicken shows no pink near the bone.
6Rest for 10 minutes, then serve hot.

Serve it like this

Ladle into deep plates with plenty of pidi and gravy, and a few crisp curry leaves on top.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.