Masala Paste:

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add a small amount of oil along with all the dry spices. Sauté over low heat until the spices are roasted, ensuring to avoid high heat as high heat will lead to burning of spices and result in bitterness. Take caution and roast the spices gently. Once roasted, remove the spices from the pan and set them aside on a plate to cool.

In the same pan, add a little more oil. Add the chopped ginger, garlic, and sliced shallots. Cook until the shallots become soft. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool slightly.

Grind the roasted spices with water to form a fine paste. Then, add the cooked shallot mixture to the ground spices and grind again. Your Kuzhambu masala paste is now ready. Set it aside.

Chicken Kuzhambu:

Take a heavy-bottomed pan and add oil, curry leaves, sliced shallots, and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Adding salt while cooking the tomatoes will expedite the process.

Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the chicken and turmeric powder. Mix well to combine. Add the masala paste and two cups of water. Stir well to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to infuse and the chicken to cook thoroughly.

In a small mixie jar, grind the coconut with warm water until it forms a smooth paste.

Add the ground coconut paste to the pan and simmer for an additional five minutes. Then, remove the meat from the curry, as it will be used for the Chicken Roast. Finally, add coriander leaves, remove from heat, and your Kuzhambu is ready.

Chicken Roast:

Take a pan and add oil. To the oil, add fennel seeds, curry leaves, and sliced shallots. Sauté until the shallots become soft.

Add the cooked chicken along with a little gravy to the pan. Sprinkle black pepper powder and salt. Mix well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.

Roast the mixture for 3-4 minutes until it becomes dry. Finish off with a generous sprinkle of coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.