Goan Coconut Rice and Chicken Xacuti

Since then I've grown a passion for cooking, the passion for trying new recipes has also started along with it. I easily get bored cooking and eating the same dishes again and again. My hubby is a very simple eater, he doesn't need much changes, only it should be tasty, then he is fine. This is only me who needs changes and why not, we live in a country which has infinite versatility, every corner of our country has an unique way of cooking and therefore, the taste also varies from region to region and every cuisine will surprise you with their uniqueness. And I am on a quest to taste all these versatilities in my own kitchen. If you follow my blog posts, you'll see I've posted many regional cuisines of India so far and same time I love trying International recipes too.
Before I proceed to share two very popular recipes from Goan Cusine with you, let me give you a little insight of Goan cuisine too. Goan Cuisine, the food of Goa(located along India's West Coast), is a blend of many foreign influences it had during centuries. Mostly portuguese, who left their unerasable mark on Goan Cuisine. Goan cuisine, like the land itself, has many flavours and tastes with its vast treasure trove of culinary delicacies. Because of its location, in the coastal region, Goa has fresh fish and seafood in abundance. Therefore, fish(mainly seafood) and rice are the staple food there. The cuisine of Goa is mainly influenced by its Hindu origins and four hundred years of Portuguese colonialism - these two are the main communities living together in Goa and both communities have their own food habits, too. While fish is commonly eaten by both the communities, Christians eat also beef and pork which are taboo in most Hindu households. While Hindu Goan food does not have picked up any Portuguese influence, the Christian food has been influenced not only by the Portuguese, but also by other overseas settlements.

Goan cuisine, has a distinct and unique combination of spicy flavours. Goan food is simple but most, though not all, is chili hot and spicy. Traditional Goan cooking calls for plenty of muscle and time as grinding fresh spices is always an integral part of every recipe. With a wide variety ranging from prawns to sausages, chicken to beef, and numerous vegetarian dishes, Goa has some magnificent culinary delicacies like the Prawn Balchao and Sorpotel which have become famous around the world. Another World famous Goan recipe is Chicken Xacuti, which I've tried and I am bowled over the taste of unique spiciness of this dish.To go with Chicken Xacuti, I've made a very simple and mild coconut flavoured rice, Goan Coconut Rice..together it was a hearty and finger-licking delicious meal.

Chicken Xacuti ::::::::::::::::::::::
Xacuti is a curry prepared in Goa, with a wide range of fresh spices, including white poppy seeds, nutmeg, grated coconut and large dried red chilies. It is usually prepared with chicken or lamb and is commonly known as Shakuti in Portuguese. This curry has a burst of flavours, the spiciness from dry red chillies, richness from peanuts and poppy seeds, has a touch of freshly grounded spices like coriander, fenugreek, poppy seeds etc. and also a tangy touch of tamarind, what makes it a unique curry. So with no further delay, let's move on to the recipe...

You need :
Chicken : 500 gms. (with bones)
Onion : 2, big, finely chopped
Ginger : 2" piece, make a paste
Garlic : 3-4 big cloves, make a paste
Green chilli : 1-2, scraped, not pasted
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp.
Tamarind pulp : 2 tblsp. or tomato puree : 1/3 cup
Salt to taste
Oil : 3 tblsp.

Ingredients needed for Xacuti Masala :
Dry red chilli : 2-3(use as per your tolerance level, I used 2 small)
Peanuts : 1/3 cup
Scraped coconut : 1/2 cup
White Poppy seed : 1tblsp.
Fenugreek seed : 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds : 1 tblsp.
Nutmeg : 2 small sticks
Black peppercorns : 1 tsp.
Fennel seed : 1 tsp.
Cloves : 3-4
Cinnamon :1 stick
Cardamoms : 2

How To :

Preperation : (1) Cut the chicken into medium size pieces. Marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder, half of the ginger, half of garlic paste, scraped green chillies and 1 tsp. salt. Keepa side for at least an hour. (2) Dry roast on a hot tawa all the spices (except peanuts and coconut) until they are golden brown and nice aroma comes out. Remove and grind immediately. Keep aside. Seperately, dry roast peanuts on the same tawa until tehy are lightly toasted. Grind seperately with scraped coconut and make into a paste.
Heat Oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute till they turn brown, then add rest fo teh ginger-garlic paste, salte for another 2 minutes, then add marianted chicken pieces and mix well with onion-ginger-garlic. Saute for 4-5 minutes, then add grounded spice powder and peanuts-coconut paste in there and mix well.
In medium flame, saute till you see oil seperating from spices, it will take another 7-8 minutes. Then add 1 cup hot water, season with salt and covering the lid, let it cook. Stir occasionally to avoid burning, when the chicken is half cooked, add tamarind pulp, mix well and again cover the lid.
When the chicken is fully done and a nice thick gravy has coated all the chciken pieces, remoce and serve hot with some flavourful rice like pulao. I served it with Goan coconut rice. ***************************************************************************

Goan Coconut Rice :

You need :
basmati rice : 11/2 cup
Coconut milk : 1 cup
Onions : 2, thinly sliced
cashew nuts : a handful
Black peppercorns : 8-10
Cloves : 4-5
Cardamom : 3-4
Cinnamon Stick : 1
Ghee(clarified butter) : 2 tblsp.
Salt to taste

How To :

Wash the rice and keepa side for 30 minutes. Heat 1 tblsp. ghee on a pan, fry half of teh sliced onions and fry till they are brown and crisp. Keep aside. Also lightly fry cashew nuts. keep aside for garnishing.
Add 1 tblsp. more ghee in the pan, add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and black pepeprcorns, add rest of the sliced onions. When onions are translucent, add rice. Fry for 1-2 minutes, then add coconut milk. Season with salt and in low flame, cover and let the rice cook. Do not forget to stir time to time.
If needed, you can add little more water in the rice. When moisture evaporated and rice are done, remove and serve garmished with fried onions and cashew nuts.