Mangalorean Chicken Curry | Kori Ghassi Recipe

Mangalorean Chicken Curry or Kori Ghassi Recipe is a classic Mangalorean style chicken curry. Roasted spices, creamy coconut forms the gravy. This spicy chicken gassi is a signature dish of the Bunt community of Mangalore.

This Mangalorean Kori Ghassi Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe was originally shared in 2008 and I had written that this recipe is taken from my chicken cookbook.

Homemade Kori Gassi is an authentic chicken curry of the Tulu from the coastal region of Mangalore. In the regional language, Kori is Chicken and Gassi is curry.

Kori gassi, or chicken gassi, or chicken kori rotti, is a signature dish of the Bunt people. They serve it with a flattened crispy rotis made of rice flour called Kori Rotti. Since this gravy is made with coconut milk, there is no point looking for recipes without coconut. However, you do have a choice of making it with coconut milk or coconut paste.

What are Byadgi Chillies?

The chillies used is the famous Byadgi Chilli, grown in the town of Byadgi in the Indian State of Karnataka.

While reading on the Byadgi Chillies used, though it is initiall said to be a spicy gravy, the spiciness is not same as the ones from guntur. Byadagi chilli is famous for its deep red colour and is less spicy than Guntur chillies. Scoville scale is used to measure the pungency or spiciness or heat of the chili peppers. So when comparing to Kashimiri Chillies it is little more spicy, but less than the ones from Andhra.

Coming back to the recipe, we use red chilies along with peppercorns. So on the whole it is a well balanced gravy.

This recipe calls for using Fenugreek and no ginger. Unless it is a dish from Chettinadu, I normally don't add fenugreek seeds. Some of the other popular dishes from region are this Kori Kundapuri, Mangalore Buns, Sannas - Mangalorean Idlis.

Post content shared on Aug 11, 2008:

Weekends are getting more hectic as kids demand more of our time. So we have to plan something that gets done fast. Yet I didn't want to miss out Sunday, a day to experiment new dishes. As I was busy with breakfast preparations, Hubby dear took over the task of giving the kids their bath. I remember those days, when Konda was about 3 yrs, she never used to come out of the shower. She was also very fond of the tub and used to spend hours playing in it.

Remembering that, I tried putting the twins in a tub sometime back, they started playing and splashing on the water, that they got wet within minutes. And then they refused to get up. I never attempted that again. But since its been a while, hubby dear thought of giving them a shower,but the same thing happened. Chinnu refused to come out. He was never too happy getting into the pool or to the beach previously.

But we were surprised that he loved being under the shower. He was jumping jubilantly and refused to budge out. We had to finally drag him out. He came out all kicking and crying. As Peddu was still eating his breakfast, poor darling missed out all the fun.

Reading the above that I shared so many years ago, this time when I made this dish, my boys are 14 years. I made this for lunch as we had guest for lunch. Konda invited her friend for lunch and Peddu also had called in his friend.

All of them enjoyed it so much that I was so happy knowing it. I had made endless parotta that I had served with. I have since repeated twice again on demand.

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Step By Step Pictures for making Mangalorean Chicken Curry

Making the Kori Gassi Mangalorean Style Ground Masala

Heat a kadai with oil, deep fry the onions till it turns brown, drain and keep aside.
Next, fry the coconut till lightly golden, remove to a plate.
Now to the kadai, add garlic, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, cumin seeds. Fry everything for 2 mins in sim.

Finally, add the poppy seeds and fry for a few seconds. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down.
When it is ready to be grounded, add the brown onions, coconut and grind to a smooth paste using little water.

For Chicken Marinade

Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces. Marinate the chicken with turmeric powder and salt for 30 mins.

For the Kori Gassi Recipe Gravy

When you are ready to make the gravy, and the ground masala paste is ready, you can set out to make the gravy.
Heat a big kadai with oil and saute the chopped onions till light brown.
Now add the marinated chicken and sauté on high for 5 mins. Let it get browned well.

When the water starts to come out from the chicken, add tomato puree, let it cook for 5 mins.
Next add the chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.

When you see the chicken is well coated with spice powders and it turns thick slight, add the ground paste, cook on high flame.
Check for salt and if required, add required amount of water. Cover and simmer for 5 mins.

Cooking in Spicy Kori Gassi in Pressure Cooker:

Depending on the time frame and how quickly you want the gravy done, you can either use the Pressure Cooker or choose to cook in the Kadai.
If you are going to use the pressure cooker, you do the entire cooking in the Pressure cooker from the beginning or transfer it for cooking the chicken alone.
I did the entire cooking in the kadai, only after adding the ground masala, I transferred to a pressure cooker pan.
Add required amount of water and cook for 1 whistle.
Once the pressure falls down, check the gravy consistency and add water as required.
Remove the lid and cook to get the required consistency.
Serve with a side dish of your choice.

Cooking the Kori Ghassi Recipe in a Kadai:

You can continue cooking in the kadai after adding more water depending on the gravy thickness.
Cover with a lid and cook in simmer for 15 to 20 mins for the chicken to get cooked well.
Once the chicken is cooked and tender, check for consistency and add more water if required.
Cook on high to bring it to a boil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestion:

Traditionally they serve this curry with Kori Rotti or Neer Dosa. However, one can serve it with anything from Aapam, Idiyappam, Idli to Dosa, Chapati or Rice. I served it with parotta.

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5 from 2 votes

Mangalorean Chicken Curry | Kori Ghassi Recipe

Mangalorean Chicken Curry or Kori Ghassi Recipe is a classic Mangalorean style chicken curry made with roasted spices and creamy coconut. This spicy chicken gassi is a signature dish of the Bunt community of Mangalore.

Course Main Dish - Gravies

Cuisine Karnataka

Keyword Spicy Chicken Gravy

By Cook Method Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Occasion Weekend Special

By Diet Non Vegetarian

Dish Type Chicken Dishes, Gravy Side Dishes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Marination Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Srivalli

Ingredients

Ingredients for Kori Gassi

For Chicken Marinade

• 1 kg Chicken
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

For the ground Masala

• 1 cup Coconut freshly grated
• 1 cup Onion
• 7 to 8 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Peppercorns
• 2 inch Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Cardamom
• 3 Cloves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp Poppy seeds /Gasa Gasa
• 2 tsp Cooking Oil for frying

For the gravy

• 3 tsp Cooking Oil
• 1.5 cups Onions
• 1 cup Tomato Puree
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Coriander Leaves for garnish

Instructions

How to make Mangalore Style Chicken Curry Recipe

For Chicken Marinade

• Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces. Marinate the chicken with turmeric powder and salt for 30 mins.

For the ground Masala

• Meanwhile, heat a pan with oil, deep fry the onions till it turns brown, drain and keep aside.
• Next, fry the coconut till lightly golden, remove to a plate.
• Now to the kadai, add garlic, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, cumin seeds. Fry everything for 2 mins in sim.
• Finally, add the poppy seeds and fry for a few seconds. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down.
• When it is ready to be grounded, add the brown onions, coconut and grind to a smooth paste using little water.

For the Gravy

• Heat a big kadai with oil. Add the chopped onions and sauté till light brown. Then add the marinated chicken and sauté on high for 5 mins. Let it get browned well.
• Add tomato puree, let it cook for 5 mins.
• Next add the chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.
• Let the chicken cook with these spices. Now add the ground paste, cook on high flame. Check for salt and if required, add required amount of water. Cover and simmer for 5 mins.
• You can continue cooking in the kadai after adding more water depending on the gravy thickness, else you can transfer to a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.
• Since I was having guests for lunch, I transferred to a pressure cooker and it was done very quickly.
• Once the pressure falls down, check the gravy consistency and add water as required.
• If adding more water, cook on high to bring it to a boil.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Traditionally this Kori Gassi is served with Rotti, a crispy thin flatbread.
• This chicken gassi can be served with Dosa, Chapati, Rice.
• I served it with Parota.

Notes

Most recipes call for roasting and grinding byadgi chillies. They also add the spice powders to the ground masala.
Basically this curry is a very spicy one, so take note of it while making it.

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