Kori Gassi, Mangalorean Chicken Curry, Spicy Kori Gassi

Kori Gassi Mangalorean Style Chicken Curry #coconutmilk #tamarind #spices #byadagi #chillies #curry #quilon #mangalore #recipe

Recipe for Kori Gassi – Mangalorean Chicken Curry. Succulent pieces of chicken cooked in finely ground fresh coconut with spices. Serve with Neer Dosa or Nool puttu. With step by step pictures.

I have spent a good time of my life in Bangalore but cannot talk for 2 minutes in Kannada. I really want to be able to talk the language but I am so so bad at it. My maid Rani is from here and talks Kannada and we had an agreement in the beginning that I will talk to her in Kannada only so I will be able to pick up the language. Rani has stayed with me for a long time now and she now speaks very good Tamil. You now know who learnt from whom. She says I am the worst Kannada speaker ever and has asked me a lot of times to give up on my idea of me talking in Kannada. I have not given up yet. But I feel a little better and hopeful when I cook Karnataka dishes. At least I started somewhere. It brings a little bit of real Karnataka to my home. Today, we are going to make Kori Gassi – Kori is Chicken and Gassi is curry. This curry is from the coastal region of Mangalore. Its a coconut and red chilli based curry that is so delicious. This recipe has been inspired from Chef Sriram Aylur of the famed Michelin rated restaurant Quilon in London. Its the only South Indian restaurant in the world to have a Michelin star. Kori Gassi is one of the most popular recipes in his kitchen and in an article, he says, “One thing that taught me, that change can’t be forced is when I decided to remove Mangalore Chicken curry, which we have had for the last 11 years. In a few months people started complaining and I had to put it back on the menu. In the mature gourmet market, people come back to the same dish in a restaurant.” So this recipe is that good. I am sure you will come back for more. Come with me. Lets ride the gravy train.

There is one ingredient that is important for the fiery orange color and the flavor of Kori Gassi. Its the Karnataka Byadagi chillies. BAY-DIG-GAY as its pronounced, Byadagi Chillies come from the Haveri district in Karnataka. The chilli is long and wrinkled and deeply red. Its not very hot but imparts a dark color and aroma. Its not a very spicy variety of chilli. So if you can get Byadagi chillies, its good. Else you can use Kashmiri chillies.

Byadagi Chillies Karnataka

Heat coconut oil in a pan and saute shallots (small onions) and garlic for 3-4 minutes on medium flame until the shallots are pink and soft. Remove from pan and set aside. Add in the Byadagi chillies in the same pan and roast for 30 seconds. I added 5 chillies. This variety of chilli is not hot. So add up to 12 chillies if you want a spicy curry. I added less as my little son loves coconut milk based curries and I want to see him enjoying the food rather than running for water. I am working on his spice levels one chilli at a time. So add chillies according to your taste. Once the chilli is roasted, set aside. In the same pan, add a teaspoon of ghee and add in the dry spices namely fenugreek seeds ( don’t add too much, else the curry will become bitter), cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black pepper corns. Roast for a minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-Masala

Grind the onion mixture, chillies and the roasted spices with a cup of water to a very very VERY smooth paste. This is a very silky curry. So you want to make sure that the masala paste is ground to a very smooth texture. Set aside.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-Masala-paste

Take a pressure pan and add in the chicken pieces. Add in the rock salt, the ground masala paste and the turmeric.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-add-salt

Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze between your fingers to make tamarind pulp. Discard the seeds and hard bits from the pulp. Add in the tamarind pulp and the second pressed coconut milk. Here is my recipe for homemade coconut milk. Mix everything well to combine.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-coconut-milk-tamarind

Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 whistles, approximately 10 minutes on low medium flame. While cooking, a little bit of curry might ooze from the cooker whistle nozzle and that’s perfectly normal. Once all the whistles are done, switch off the flame and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-steam

Now lets do the tempering. Heat ghee in a small pan and add in the cinnamon, cloves and the curry leaves. Let the curry leaves splutter. Add it to the curry.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-tempering

Keep the cooker back on heat and let it come to a boil on low flame. Check for seasoning. Add salt if necessary. In the mean time make a corn starch slurry with 2 tablespoon of corn flour and half a cup of water. Add it to the curry. This will instantly thicken the curry and give a very luscious texture to the gravy. This is optional. But I really like to do this procedure as its worth it. Stir well and let the curry thicken up. It will take a minute. Add in the first pressed coconut milk and switch off the flame. Do not cook for long after adding the first pressed coconut milk.

Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry-Recipe-corn-starch-slurry

Homemade Kori Gassi – Mangalorean style chicken curry is ready. Its traditionally served with Kori Rotti or Neer Dosa. But it goes well with Aapam, Idiyappam and Idli.

Kori Gassi Mangalorean Style Chicken Curry #coconutmilk #tamarind #spices #byadagi #chillies #curry #quilon #mangalore #recipe

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Kori-Gassi-Mangalorean-Chicken-Curry

Kori Gassi – Mangalorean Chicken Curry

Recipe for Kori Gassi – Mangalorean Chicken Curry. Succulent pieces of chicken cooked in finely ground fresh coconut with spices.

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For Kori Gassi Masala Paste

  • 1 teaspoon Coconut oil
  • 20 Shallots (small onions)
  • 8 cloves Garlic
  • 12 Byadagi Chillies ***
  • 1 teaspoon Ghee
  • 1/4 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
  • 3/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Black pepper corn
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander seeds

For the curry

  • 750 grams Chicken with bone
  • 2 teaspoon Rock salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 10 grams Tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water

Coconut Milk Recipe for home made coconut milk

  • 1 Cup First pressed milk (Thick coconut milk)
  • 2 Cups Second pressed milk

Tempering

  • 1 teaspoon Ghee
  • 2 stick Cinnamon
  • 2 Cloves
  • 2 sprigs Curry leaves

Corn Starch Slurry

  • 2 tablespoon Corn flour
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

For Kori Gassi Masala Paste

  1. Heat coconut oil in a pan and saute shallots (small onions) and garlic for 3-4 minutes on medium flame until the shallots are pink and soft. Remove from pan and set aside. Add in the Byadagi chillies in the same pan and roast for 30 seconds. Once the chilli is roasted, set aside. In the same pan, add a teaspoon of ghee and add in the dry spices namely fenugreek seeds ( don’t add too much, else the curry will become bitter), cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black pepper corns. Roast for a minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
  2. Grind the onion mixture, chillies and the roasted spices with a cup of water to a very smooth paste.

For the curry

  1. Take a pressure pan and add in the chicken pieces. Add in the rock salt, the ground masala paste and the turmeric.
  2. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze between your fingers to make tamarind pulp. Discard the seeds and hard bits from the pulp. Add in the tamarind pulp and the second pressed coconut milk.
  3. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 whistles, approximately 10 minutes on low medium flame. Once all the whistles are done, switch off the flame and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally.

Tempering

  1. Heat ghee in a small pan and add in the cinnamon, cloves and the curry leaves. Let the curry leaves splutter. Add it to the curry.
  2. Keep the cooker back on heat and let it come to a boil on low flame. Check for seasoning. Add salt if necessary. In the mean time make a corn starch slurry with 2 tablespoon of corn flour and half a cup of water. Add it to the curry. Stir well and let the curry thicken up. Add in the first pressed coconut milk and switch off the flame.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Karnataka, Mangalore

kori-gassi-cal

50 thoughts on “Kori Gassi, Mangalorean Chicken Curry, Spicy Kori Gassi”

  1. This recipe ought to be framed! It is insanely delicious! Honestly, the gravy can be drunk by itself. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is in permanent rotation of family favorites!

    I follow as is with one minor change – I use a tablespoon of rice flour instead of corn flour for the slurry. Like I said, lip-smackingly delicious!






  2. Kirthi Shenoy

    This is the most amazing recipe for kori gassi and I have made this umpteen times and it hasn’t failed a single time… thank u

  3. Excellent recipe Just tried it today for lunch , It was a big hit! Thank you for the recipe🙏






  4. Hi Suguna, your description says ” Succulent pieces of chicken cooked in finely ground fresh coconut with spices. “… but I don’t see coconut itself being mentioned in the body of the recipe. Am I misunderstanding?

  5. Rajashree Jagtap

    Thanks a lot Suguna for the receipe . It is really good and I will definitely try it today evening






  6. This is not a kannada recipe.Its a Tulu dish.Kori means chicken in Tulu, gassi is the tulu word for coconut based gravy. Mangalore Udupi region is tulunadu and all popular dishes of mangalore like Kori/Prawn gassi, Chicken sukka,chicken ghee roast,neer dosa,masala dosa etc are of Tulu region

  7. So delicious! We went to Quilon last year for my birthday and LOVED the food there. Loved your recipe! We ate it tonight for dinner with some Neer dosa and couldn’t stop eating this! Thank you so much!






  8. Kirthi Shenoy

    Thank you for amazing recipes always…. I am yet to taste this recipe it’s awaiting in the cooker 😜… I am sure it will be great as I had also tried the kadla curry recipe you had posted and it was a super hit in my house…I was asked by my Kerala friends to make it again so that says it all…

  9. Santwana Singh

    Hi Suguna,

    Love your blog and recipes! For this curry, can I use good quality store bought coconut milk? If so can you please advise how I should proceed?

    Thanks,
    Santwana

    1. Hi Santwana, do not add the canned coconut milk at the beginning. After finishing cooking add in around 200-250 ml canned coconut milk and simmer just for a couple of minutes. That should work.

    2. I use store bought coconut milk for this recipe. I mix 3/4 cup canned coconut milk with 1 and 1/4 cup water and use it as the second press coconut milk. I add the rest of the canned coconut milk (one can holds 400ml coconut milk) in the last step. I feel cooking the chicken in the coconut milk makes it tender and succulent! The recipe is always a hit in my home :).

  10. Christina Paul

    I liked this recipe and I have tried it with chicken. But, this time I wanna try it with lamb…will it work?

  11. I was looking for a different chicken curry and chanced upon your website and got this recipe. I prepared it yesterday when my in-laws had come over for lunch. It came out awesome. All my guests + family loved it so much that they stayed over for dinner to finish off the left over curry! Flavour of Byadagi chillies was out of this world and the colour of the curry was exactly as in your pictures. Thank you for posting this recipe along with those beautiful pictures – that helped me to know am on right path. I only added star anise and cardamoms while grinding! It was lovely. Thank you once again.






  12. I am from Mangalore ,the recipe is exquisite but am disappointed that you cannot speak Kannada after many years .This is the bane of everyone who comes to our lovely state and just because we kannadigas are so accepting ,you all teach us your languages !! So the average bangalorean will know tamil,english,telugu ,hindi and a dollop of Malayalam too along with his native tongue 😉

    Thank you for a wonderful recipe and do try and learn kannada .If you set your heart at it ,you can learn it in an instant …you cooking reflects your ability ,good luck !!






  13. Chitra Makhija

    I love Mangalorean food and this is an Amazing receipe!! We enjoyed it thoroughly with Kori Roti!!






  14. I prepared it today and it was awesome. I always wanted to prepare it same as they prepare in restaurant. This tasted same like it. My mom,dad and sister loved it. In my sisters and dads case they were licking their plate and they had many helping. ?? Thank you for the recipe. ?






  15. Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe…its so easy to make & delicious.The chicken was so tender & full of flavour.?

  16. dear madam its weekend in Dubai and after reading the comments from all people i am starting my cooking will share my comments tonght

  17. Waw…first time I tired any chicken gravy as dont cook nonveg at home. N this is the first recipe… We r from Mangalore… Loved it…thanks aton…it tastes exact like my native…






  18. Jacintha D'Souza

    Hi Suguna, nice recipe. Cooking mangalorean dishes is my passion and eating also. I loved this chicken recipe very much. Thanks.






  19. Hello Suguna, I chanced upon your blog while searching for some gravies (for weekend cooking) and ever since this website has become one of my favourites. I especially like the way you duly acknowledge the source of the recipe and the persons behind it – its a very very noble thought. Many times, I enjoy reading such tidbits and anecdotes than the recipe itself 😛 And it was interesting to note your stint in US as a professional cook as well which goes to show your knowledge on both the native and the foreign culinary skills! Thanks once again for your lovely gesture of sharing your treasure trove of recipes and please do continue doing so. [Pardonez moi for a long comment].
    Cheers!
    Ravi

    1. I am laughing here reading your comment, “Many times, I enjoy reading such tidbits and anecdotes than the recipe itself” – Trust me – You are not alone. Lot of my readers mail me asking if everthing’s ok if i haven’t given them the story part!. Honestly the story telling part is getting more difficult than the recipe.:) I am really really glad that you are liking the recipes from kannamma cooks. You made my day Mr.Ravi! Thank you!

  20. Loved the way you have described this as “silky” curry. Yes,, absolutely silky.. I had the privilege of tasting your curry. Delicious.. My children dint leave anything for me. They had this as a soup. Waiting to make on my own… Thank you Suguna






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