A Compassionate Meal – Kolhapuri Tambda Chicken
I was telling you earlier about our compassionate meal.We make the meal from the state where our girl,we are sponsoring in,is living.It is also one of our way to remember her and let our family connect with her.
So in an effort to do so,i prepared chicken Kolhapuri .Now, Kolhapur is a name of city in a state of Maharashtra.It is famous for the footwear around the world.If you ever visit India,you have to get some “Kolhapuri sandles” 
I have spent a month or longer in Maharashtra more then a decade ago and i hardly recall eating non-veg meal.I get the impression that Marathi meal is very simply prepared.As i was researching i found out
Onion-Poppy Seed
- Tambda means red.So the dish is suppose to be red in color.It is generally prepared using mutton.
- Dish is also spicy hot.Color red comes from the native chili pepper used in prepping this dish.
- Marathi also use peanut oil.Its called groundnut in Indian english.Which imparts red color.My dish was rather yellow but i am sticking with the name.I added paprika,cayenne pepper and mace later.
Spice blend
- Marathi cuisine uses coconut in spice mix or coconut milk in gravy based dishes.Of course,their coconut milk does not comes from a can.
Coriander and Black Poppy Seeds
- This dish has unique blend of spices.I hardly use poppy seeds in cooking.I used black but white is preferable.
Kolhapuri Tambda Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast
- 6-7 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon coconut flakes
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp seasme seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorn seeds
- 3 Cardamoms
- 3 Cloves
- pinch of asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp mace
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoon paprika
- 2 medium Onions
- 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds(white preferable)
- 2 medium Tomatos
- 1 bunch of Cilantro
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast in cubes.
- Marinade this in garlic ,ginger,some salt and turmeric for at least an hour.
- Grind the onion and poppy seeds together.
- Grind tomatoes and cilantro,keep it aside.
- Grind the spices listed under ground spices.
- In a pan,heat oil.
- Add the marinade piece of chicken and brown it.
- Once brown,take it out in a plate.
- In a same pan,add onion and poppy seeds and cook it until its brown.
- Add the ground spices.Add the additional spices to it as well.
- Add the ground chicken back.Add tomato and cilantro paste.
- Add coconut milk and simmer it down until chicken is done.
- Serve it hot with rice/chapati/Paratha
FAAR CHANGLA
) ( translation from marathi – VERY GOOD)