Chicken gassi is a delightful Mangalorean style dish that features tender chicken pieces. The curry consists of a spicy masala paste made of several roasted spices and other ingredients such as grated coconut, chopped onions, garlic cloves, whole dried red chilies, coriander and cumin seeds. The chicken is slow-cooked over a low flame to allow all flavors to infuse properly in the chicken. I provide you with a simple recipe to help you learn the process to make chicken gassi or kori gassi at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Chicken gassi is a popular Mangalorean coastal curry enjoyed widely in South India for its rich and authentic flavors.
- Serve it with neer dosa, steamed rice, or soft appam for a comforting meal.
- Chicken gassi has a bold, spicy, and slightly smoky taste with a creamy coconut base.
- Other similar recipes are butter chicken, chicken curry, and chicken chettinad.
The Ingredients:
To make the dish:
- 1 kg chicken (cut into small pieces)
- 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 pieces onions (large size, finely chopped)
- 10 pieces curry leaves
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 piece tomato (large, finely chopped)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
To prepare the masala:
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds (dhania)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 piece cinnamon (1 inch in size, broken into half)
- 6 pieces cloves (laung)
- ¼ piece star anise
- 3 pieces green cardamom (whole pods)
- ½ tsp poppy seeds (khas khas)
- 3 pieces Kashmiri red chilies
- 4 pieces round red chilies
- 2.5 cups coconut (fresh grated)
- 8 pieces garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
- 1 piece onion (small, roughly chopped)
- 10 pieces curry leaves
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- Water as required for grinding
I did not know chicken could taste so good and tender with simple ingredients until I tasted this Mangalorean dish at a neighbor’s place one evening during a get-together. The gravy was nice and spicy but not too rich or heavy and the creaminess of coconut attracted me the most. So, I asked for the recipe straightaway and she was kind and happy to narrate it to me.
The next weekend, I thought of giving it a try and surprising my husband and two kids. They were surely surprised when I presented the soft and flavorful chicken pieces to them. My husband spoke for its unique taste while my sons were busy cleaning their plates with roti. Their joy made me feel so happy, and I thanked my neighbor from my heart for sharing the recipe, which brought such moments of joy.
How to Make Chicken Gassi? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Dry roast 2 tbsp of coriander seeds (dhania), 1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeera), ½ tsp of black peppercorns, 1 piece of cinnamon (1 inch in size, broken into half), 6 pieces of cloves (laung), ¼ piece of star anise, and 3 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods) in a frying pan for about a minute over a medium flame. Then, reduce the flame to low, add ½ tsp of poppy seeds (khas khas) and roast for a minute. Transfer them to a plate and keep them aside. Now, dry roast 3 pieces of Kashmiri red chilies and 4 pieces of round red chilies for a minute over a medium flame. Keep aside.
Step 2: Now, fry 2.5 cups of freshly grated coconut along with 8 pieces of roughly chopped garlic cloves, 1 piece of small onion (roughly chopped), and 10 pieces of curry leaves over a medium flame until it is dry and changes color slightly.
Step 3: Transfer it to a mixie jar along with the roasted whole spices and add ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi) and water as required to make a fine paste.
Step 4: Now, fry 2 pieces of onions (large size, finely chopped) and 10 pieces of curry leaves in 2 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter over a medium to high flame until they turn slightly brown in color.
Step 5: Then, add a small piece of 1 kg chicken and mix well. Cover and cook for about 8 to 9 minutes over a high flame.
Step 6: Now, add ½ tsp of turmeric powder, a piece of large tomato (finely chopped), half the portion of the masala paste, and 1.5 tsp of salt and mix nicely. Let it boil first, and then cover and cook it for about 20 to 25 minutes over a low flame. Now, add the remaining masala paste along with a cup of water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil on a high flame and then cook for about 15 minutes over a low flame. When it boils, add coriander leaves and stir nicely. Switch off the gas stove, and cover the pan, leaving a slight opening for about 15 minutes before serving.
Step 7: Your tasty and spicy homemade chicken gassi is ready. Serve it hot with neer dosa or rice.
Recipe Card
Chicken Gassi | Kori Gassi
Ingredients
To make the dish:
- 1 kg chicken cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp ghee clarified butter
- 2 pieces onions large size, finely chopped
- 10 pieces curry leaves
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 piece tomato large, finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
To prepare the masala:
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds dhania
- 1 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 piece cinnamon 1 inch in size, broken into half
- 6 pieces cloves laung
- ¼ piece star anise
- 3 pieces green cardamom whole pods
- ½ tsp poppy seeds khas khas
- 3 pieces Kashmiri red chilies
- 4 pieces round red chilies
- 2.5 cups coconut fresh grated
- 8 pieces garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 piece onion small, roughly chopped
- 10 pieces curry leaves
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder haldi
- Water as required for grinding
Instructions
- Dry roast 2 tbsp of coriander seeds (dhania), 1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeera), ½ tsp of black peppercorns, 1 piece of cinnamon (1 inch in size, broken into half), 6 pieces of cloves (laung), ¼ piece of star anise, and 3 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods) in a frying pan for about a minute over a medium flame. Then, reduce the flame to low, add ½ tsp of poppy seeds (khas khas) and roast for a minute. Transfer them to a plate and keep aside. Now, dry roast 3 pieces of Kashmiri red chilies and 4 pieces of round red chilies for a minute over a medium flame. Keep aside.
- Now, fry 2.5 cups of freshly grated coconut along with 8 pieces of roughly chopped garlic cloves, 1 piece of small onion (roughly chopped), and 10 pieces of curry leaves over a medium flame until it is dry and changes color slightly.
- Transfer it to a mixie jar along with the roasted whole spices and add ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi) and water as required to make a fine paste.
- Now, fry 2 pieces of onions (large size, finely chopped) and 10 pieces of curry leaves in 2 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter over a medium to high flame until they turn slightly brown in color.
- Then, add small piece of 1 kg chicken and mix well. Cover and cook for about 8 to 9 minutes over a high flame.
- Now, add ½ tsp of turmeric powder, a piece of large tomato (finely chopped), half the portion of the masala paste, 1.5 tsp of salt and mix nicely. Let it boil first and then cover and cook it for about 20 to 25 minutes over a low flame. Now, add the remaining masala paste along with a cup of water and salt to taste. Bring to boil on a high flame and then cook for about 15 minutes over a low flame. When it boils, add coriander leaves and stir nicely. Switch off the gas stove, cover the pan leaving a slight opening for about 15 minutes before serving.
- Your tasty and spicy homemade chicken gassi is ready. Serve it hot with neer dosa or rice.
