Kozhi Pidi

For the Chicken Curry:

1. Clean, rinse and keep the chicken pieces cut into small pieces aside.
2. Add the garlic(2 1/2Tbsp), ginger (1 1/2Tbsp) and shallots (10), to a small grinder jar and grind ( without adding any water), to make a paste. Set aside.
3. Add coconut oil (4Tbsp) to a pressure cooker.
4. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced onion, coriander leaves, green chilli and tomato all together.
5. Sauté on medium heat for about 3 minutes, till the tomatoes are mashed. The sauteed ingredients should not turn brown, just nicely softened.
6. Now, add the prepared garlic-ginger-shallot paste as well as turmeric powder (1/2tsp).
7. Continue to saute, till the raw smell of ginger and garlic dissipates, stirring continuously on low flame. Add a little more oil if needed. (Saute about 2 more minutes).
8. Next, add whole spices (2 cardamoms,2 tiny sticks of cinnamon,3cloves)  and stir through till fragrant. Be careful that the sauteed ingredients do not stick to the pot. Adjust the heat accordingly.
9. Add the chicken pieces and salt (1/2tsp). Toss and fry in the masala well. The chicken should be opaque throughout (no pink in the centre).
10. Add the powdered spices: fennel powder (1 generous Tbsp), coriander powder (2tsp), Kashmiri chilli powder (1 1/2tsp). Stir and cook till the spices are cooked and aromatic as well.
11. Add about 1 cup of water first and bring to a boil. Now add Nadan Garam Masala (1tsp). Stir through.
12. If the chicken is not submerged in water, add up to 1/4 cup more water.
13. Close the cooker and pressure cook for 3 steams or till cooked. Allow the cooker to cool off gradually. Start on the 'Pidi' making process now.

For the Pidi (Dumplings) :

1. If you don't have 'Roasted' rice flour, you must roast the rice flour yourself. Add the rice flour(1 1/4cup) to a heavy-based-wide pan 'urulli', and on low-medium heat, roast with constant stirring for 4-5 minutes. After 2 minutes, turn down the heat to low and keep stirring. The flour should not turn brown, so remember to constantly stir. Remove from the pan to another plate, so that it does not change colour from the residual heat.
2. Add the grated coconut (1/2cup) to a mixer-grinder and add just a little water to grind to a smooth paste.
3. To the same heavy-based pan used for roasting flour, add 1 1/4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
4. Add the prepared coconut paste to the water as soon as it starts boiling. Also, add salt (1/ tsp) and turmeric powder (1/8tsp).
5. Stir and once it begins to boil again, add all the roasted rice flour to the centre of the Coconut-spiced liquid and wait for the liquid to bubble up over the sides.
6. Immediately turn down the flame and stir briskly with a strong wooden ladle, till all the flour is evenly moistened. Don't forget to scrape the flour from the sides of the pan as you do so.
7. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and allow this to sit in its steam for 5 minutes.
8. After 5 minutes, open and knead while the mixture is still hot to a smooth, bouncy dough. (If you wait too long, the dough dries out and doesn't become smooth-see notes).
9. Quickly pinch off small balls and roll into small discs. Use a finger to make an indentation in the centre. (Refer to Video).
10. You must not rest the dough too long before making all the coin-shaped dumplings, or it will be harder to make them nice a smooth, without cracks. And as soon dumplings are all rolled, you must also proceed to cook them without delay. Keep the prepared dumplings covered in a clean bowl.
11. In a large, wide pot, deep enough to boil the dumplings, add sufficient water and bring to a boil.
12. In the meantime, make the Coconut Gravy for Dumplings: Add grated coconut (1/2- 3/4cup) to the grinder used earlier, along with shallots(2),  fennel seeds(1tsp) and cinnamon (tiny piece).
13. Add very little water and grind to another smooth paste.
14. To the same heavy-based pan used for cooking the dumpling dough (Rinsed out), add 1 1/2 cups of water, the prepared paste and turmeric powder (1/8tsp). Stir and bring to a boil. It should become foamy and bubble up. Turn down the flame and keep warm.
15. The water in the large, wide pot has by now come to a strong boil.  Add the prepared 'dumplings' and on med-high heat, boil for 12 minutes, till the dumplings are cooked well. These dumplings should be cooked through properly.

Combine the 'Kozhi' and 'Pidi':

1. Open the pressure cooker. Our curry is ready. Add Half of this curry(and chicken) to the heavy-based pan containing the coconut gravy, which was kept warm. Reserve the rest of the curry to pour over each serving.
2. Stir quickly to avoid curdling of the gravy. Taste the gravy and add extra spice powders to taste: approximately - Chilli powder (3/4 tsp) and coriander powder(1 tsp). Stir and reduce the heat to the lowest.
3. The dumplings, which have boiled for 10-12 minutes now, can be removed from the large, wide pot with a spider strainer and added to this simmering coconut-chicken gravy.
4. So the dumplings, coconut gravy and half of the chicken curry must cook together in the heavy-based pan, for another 5 minutes on medium heat. This way, the dumplings absorb the flavour of the gravy. Taste and add salt if needed. Switch off the heat.

For Tempering:

1. Heat coconut oil (2 Tbsp) in a small pan and add the fennel seeds (1/4 tsp) and cinnamon (2 tiny pieces), and allow to splutter.
2. Add the sliced shallots(6), minced ginger (1tsp) and curry leaves (2sprigs) and fry till the shallots turn a lovely reddish brown colour.
3. Add over the Chicken and Dumplings. Reserve some for the final garnish.
4. Cover without stirring for 20-30 minutes before serving.
5. While serving, place the reserved chicken curry separately so that it may be poured over the 'Kozhi Pidi' as desired. Or you can also pour it over the entire plated Kozhi Pidi, together.. This is done according to personal preference.
6. Add some of the fried shallots as the final garnish, as well as fresh coriander leaves.
7. We like to serve this in small bowls. Scoop out the curry and chicken with the dumplings and enjoy!!!
8. Please let me know if you tried this recipe. Mail me: recipesaresimple@gmail.com