Chicken Xacuti

Goan cuisine is normally spicy and pungent. The excessive use of spices and Tamarind helps in digestion and also gives the dishes that extra flavor. Though Goans use dried Kokum skin and Vinegar in most of their cuisines, this one is different. I have visited Goa many times since 1970 but never had a taste of this dish.

Recently Meena tried Chicken Xacuti following a recipe passed on by a friend and it turned out excellent. Spelled ‘Shakuti’, Goan Konaknis developed this cuisine and it is found in almost all restaurants in Goa today!

Ingredients:
Chicken without skin, cut into 12 pieces – 800Gms
Oil - 4 tablespoons
Coconut, scraped - 1 cup
Garlic - 4-6 cloves
Whole dry red chillies, broken - 4
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tablespoons
Black peppercorns - 10
Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1 teaspoon
Carom seeds (ajwain) - 1 teaspoon
Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) - 2 tablespoon
Cloves - 6
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Star anise - 4
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Onions, chopped - 2 medium
Salt to taste
Tamarind pulp - 1 tablespoon
Nutmeg, grated - 1/4 teaspoon

Chicken Xacuti with Brown Bread

Method:
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and lightly brown coconut and transfer into a mixer jar.
Add garlic cloves.
Dry roast red chillies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, carom seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon and star anise till fragrant.
Add all to the coconut in the jar. Add turmeric powder and a little water and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a deep pan and sauté onions till well browned.
Add chicken and sauté on high heat for two to three minutes.
Add salt and mix.
Add the masala paste and stir well.
Add two cups of water and stir.
Add tamarind pulp and mix.
Grate some nutmeg (about ¼ teaspoon) and add.
When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about thirty minutes or till the chicken is done.
Serve hot with boiled red rice, paav bun or with rotis.