This dry chicken roast is one of my favorite Keralite dishes! What’s not to love about chicken smothered in warm, aromatic spices?! You will be tempted to use water when making this recipe. Please don’t do it. This is a dry dish, and so the masala mixture is supposed to look dry. Roasting spices gives this dish its unique aroma. When you add the chicken, it will release its juices, which will give the dish moisture. If you add any water beforehand, you’ll end up with a chicken curry rather than a dry roast. It’ll still be good, but trust me, you’ll enjoy dry roasted chicken even more.
Notes About the Ingredients:
This recipe calls for thick frozen coconut slices, which you can find in your local Indian grocery store’s frozen aisle. The coconut adds texture to the dish, but because it’ll be smothered with masala, you won’t get too much coconut flavor – the coconut oil will help add more coconut aroma. Before meeting my Keralite husband, Roby, I had always associated coconuts with sweets. This spicy chicken dish goes to show that coconuts are exceptional in savory Indian dishes too. Coriander powder is a major player in this dish. If you’re not a fan of coriander leaves (cilantro), that doesn’t mean you won’t like coriander powder (ground seeds). Personally, I don’t think the two taste anything alike. I like cilantro, but I wouldn’t say I’m crazy about it, you know? But I am a huge fan of the seeds that come from the plant. Cilantro has a sharp citrusy flavor to it, whereas coriander seed is milder in flavor. Coriander powder has more of a warm and nutty flavor, and it also helps create a nice, thick masala. Another must-have ingredient is my homemade Kerala garam masala. also known as meat masala. You can use this spice mix in so many recipes (find a list in the meat masala post linked above); it’s made with fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and black peppercorn. This masala is what gives this chicken roast its distinct Keralite flavor, so don’t skip it or replace it with another type of garam masala blend. I hope you love this dish as much as we do! Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!
