Kunhipathiri / Kozhi Pidi / Steamed Rice coins in chicken gravy

Kunhipathiri/ Kozhi Pidi / Steamed Rice coins in chicken gravy is a typical Malabar dish with all the tastes of chicken ,pathiri  and coconut blended together. It has various names as well as various preparation methods in different areas of Malabar . But the basic method is the same as to mix the steamed rice coins/pathiri with the chicken gravy and grinded coconut . You can have it as it is as an evening snack or for dinner and it doesn’t need any side dishes .

There are 4 major steps in preparing Kunhipathiri.

They are

1)      Preparing Chicken Gravy

2)      Preparing Rice balls/coins

3)      Grinding Coconut

4)      Mixing Rice coins with Coconut and Chicken Gravy

 

Utensils Needed:-

1)      A non-stick pan or any pan for preparing the chicken gravy.

2)      Steamer for steaming the rice balls.

3)      A large non stick pan having enough size for mixing all the rice coins and chicken gravy together.

1)Preparing Chicken Gravy

Chicken pieces with bones                            - 500 gm

Onion                                                                    - 2

Ginger                                                                  - ½ inch piece

Garlic                                                                    - 10 pods

Green chillies                                                      - 1

Tomato                                                                - 1

Curry leaves                                                       - a few

Red Chilli powder                                             - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder                                           - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder                                              - ½ tsp

Garam Masala                                                 - 1tsp

Salt                                                                        - to taste

Oil                                                                           - 1 tbsp

Water                                                                   - 2 cups

·         Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion and curry leaves.

·         Crush ginger, garlic and green chilli together and add it to the onion.

·         Add tomato and stir well.

 

·         When tomatoes are blended well, add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala.

 

·         Once the raw smell of the powders are gone, add chicken pieces and mix well.

 

·         Add two cups of water, mix well, close the lid and cook for 5 min at high flame.

·         Then lower the flame and cook for another 20 minutes.

·         We have to get semi gravy. So if you have so much gravy left after cooking, just open the lid and keep high flame to get a semi gravy. Stir in between. Keep it aside.

 

2) Grinding coconut

Ingredients:-

Grated Coconut                                - 1 cup

Fennel   /Perumjeerakam                 - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder                              - ½ tsp

Water                                                   - 1 cup

·         Grind grated coconut, fennel/perumjeerakam and turmeric powder together in a grinder.

 

·         Add 1 cup of water and grind well . Keep it aside.

 

3)Preparing Rice balls/coins

Grated Coconut                                                - 1 cup

Fennel/Perumjeerakam                                - 1/2tsp

Cloves                                                   - 2

Cinnamon                                           - ½ inch piece

Cardamom                                         - 2

       

·         Crush coconut with fennel/perumjeerakam, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.

 

·         Mix it with rice flour in a big bowl.

 

·         Boil water and add enough salt into it.

·         Add boiled water into the rice flour gently. Keep stirring in between.

 

·         Roll it to make dough like this.

 

·         Make small balls out of the dough using your hand; press each with your fore finger and middle finger gently o get a shape like this.

 

·         Do the same with the rest of the dough.

·         Steam the rice balls in a steamer.

 

·         Now the rice balls are ready for mixing.

 

4) Mixing Rice coins with Coconut and Chicken Gravy

·         In a non-stick pan, heat  1 tbsp oil and sauté sliced onion and curry leaves.

 

·         When it is done, add grinded coconut mixture into it.

 

·         When it just starts to boil, add steamed rice coins into it.

 

·         Add chicken gravy also and mix well.

 

·         When it starts to boil, check salt and add if required.

·         Keep the flame low and cook for 10 more minutes.

 

·         Stir in between.

·         Serve hot.

Tips:-

The same can be prepared using beef and mutton gravy also.