Kerala Chicken Stew, How to make Chicken Stew, Chicken Ishtu

Chicken Stew – The perfect partner for idiyappam and appam. Its called as Ishtu, the local word for stew. This is a very mild gravy / curry flavored with a lot of ginger and coconut milk. Here is how to do simple chicken stew. Here is the veg version of the recipe.

Its an extremely simple recipe. Get all the veggies ready. Cut the chicken into cubes. Make 3-4 incisions with the help of a knife into the drumsticks so the meat cooks well. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds. Very little of everything. The flavors of the spices are very mild in this recipe. Saute for a few seconds until the spices are aromatic. Add in all the veggies. Onion, ginger, curry leaves, potatoes and peas. Add lots of ginger. I kept some of the ginger pieces a little big so all the juices gets into the gravy but does not come to the mouth as a harsh bite. You can discard the ginger later if you wish.

Add in the chicken, green chillies and the salt. Add in half a cup of water to the pan. Cover the cooker and cook for 3 whitles on medium flame. It will take anywhere between 7-10 minutes. Switch off the stove and wait for the pressure from the cooker release naturally.

Open the cooker and add in a cup of thin coconut milk (second milk). Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then add half a cup of thick coconut milk and switch off the flame. Here is the recipe for extracting coconut milk at home.
Note: If using canned coconut milk, add 1.5 cups of canned milk and let it simmer for 2 minutes.

Serve Chicken Stew, Chicken Ishtu with idiyappam or appam.

Kerala Chicken Stew, How to make Chicken Stew, Chicken Ishtu

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Recipe for Kerala Chicken Stew made with coconut milk served with appam and idiyappam. Popularly called as chicken ishtu.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 4 persons 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 stick / 2 inches cinnamon
• 1 cloves
• 2 cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (sombu)
• 3 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 inch piece ginger, sliced
• 2 medium sized onions, sliced
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 2 medium sized potatoes, diced
• 500 grams chicken with bone
• 4 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup thin coconut milk (second milk)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk (first milk)
• Note: If using canned coconut milk instead of fresh milk, 1.5 cups of canned milk

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Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds. Saute for a few seconds until the spices are aromatic. Add in all the veggies. Onion, ginger, curry leaves, potatoes and peas.
2. Add in the chicken, green chillies and the salt. Add in half a cup of water to the pan. Cook for 3 whistles. It will take anywhere between 7-10 minutes. Switch off the stove and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally.
3. Open the cooker and add in a cup of thin coconut milk (second milk). Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then add half a cup of thick coconut milk and switch off the flame.
4. Serve Chicken Stew, Chicken Ishtu with idiyappam or appam.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian