Chicken Xacuti: Goan Christmas Recipe

Image Source

Chicken Xacuti or Chacuti as it is pronounced in Portuguese, is a perfect example of the Dutch influence on Goan recipes. This easy recipes for Christmas is a favourite delicacy of Goa. Being under Dutch over lordship for centuries Goan recipes have an unique feature of blending the East with the West. Chicken Xacuti is a bright red Indian chicken curry that does not have any semblance of similarity with European spices and yet the name is derived from a Portuguese word meaning 'dark brown'.

If you need a really spicy chicken recipe then go for this easy recipe this Christmas. But keep your guests forewarned of the steam that this authentic Goan recipe will release and also keep some candies handy!

Ingredients For Chicken Xacuti:

1. Chicken 500 grams (cut in to medium sized pieces with bones)
2. Baby onions 8
3. Small potatoes or new potatoes of the season 8
4. Garlic 6 cloves (minced)
5. Ginger 1 inch piece (minced)
6. Onion 1 (minced)
7. Coconut (grated) 1 cup
8. Red chillies 5-7
9. Cloves 8
10. Cinnamon sticks 2
11. Pepper corns 8-10
12. Coriander seeds 1 tablespoon
13. Fenugreek seeds (methi) 1 tablespoon
14. Poppy seeds (khus khus) 1 tablespoon
15. Fennel seeds 1 teaspoon
16. Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
17. Nutmed powder (baddi elachi) 1 teaspoon
18. Oil 2-3 tablespoons
19. Salt as per taste.

Procedure For Chicken Xacuti:

• Make a paste of corinader, poppy and fenugreek seeds before you begin. Mince 1 onion, garlic and ginger together.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the red chillies in them until you get a stinging aroma that makes you sneeze.
• Add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, fennel seeds and let them fry for half a minute. Then add the grated coconut to it. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
• Now add all minced, powdered and ground spices together and let it cook for 3 minutes on low flame after adding salt. Stir continuously because coconut burns easily.
• Put the chicken pieces in this dry masala and cook for 2 minutes. When the chicken starts releasing fats add 2 cups of water.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the oil floats over the curry. Now add the baby onions and potatoes whole to the curry. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes.
• Before you remove the curry from flame add nutmeg powder for flavour.