Meals · Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Natukodi Pulusu

Slow-cooked country chicken in a thin, tangy tamarind gravy fired up with Guntur chillies and a roasted coriander masala. Unlike our Telangana Natu Kodi Kura, this is the sour, soupy pulusu version made for pouring over hot rice.

Andhra Natukodi Pulusu

Prep 25 min · Cook 60 min · Total 85 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 kg Country chicken (natu kodi), curry cut
  • ½ tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 ½ tbsp Ginger-garlic paste

Roasted masala

  • 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Black peppercorns
  • 1 inch Cinnamon stick
  • 4 Cloves
  • 6 Guntur dried red chillies
  • 2 tbsp Desiccated coconut

Pulusu

  • 30 g Tamarind
  • 5 tbsp Groundnut oil
  • ½ tsp Mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
  • 3 sprigs Curry leaves
  • 2 Onions, finely chopped
  • 4 Green chillies, slit
  • 2 Tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tsp Red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Jaggery
  • 3 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

  1. Marinate. Rub the chicken with the turmeric, salt and ginger-garlic paste and set aside. Squeeze the soaked tamarind and strain out the pulp, keeping the juice.
  2. Roast and grind the masala. Dry-roast the coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and Guntur chillies over low heat until fragrant. Add the coconut for the last minute until light golden. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
  3. Temper and fry. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or heavy pot. Add the mustard seeds, and when they pop, the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add the onions and green chillies and fry until golden, then add the tomatoes and chilli powder and cook until soft.
  4. Cook the country chicken. Add the chicken and fry on high for 6 to 8 minutes until it browns lightly and the oil separates. Add 1 cup water and pressure-cook for 5 to 6 whistles, or simmer covered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the meat is tender. Country chicken is lean and firm, so it needs this longer cook.
  5. Make it a pulusu. Open the cooker and stir in the tamarind juice, the roasted masala, salt, jaggery and 1 cup water. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until the raw tamarind taste goes and the oil floats on a thin, pourable gravy.
  6. Rest and serve. Stir in the coriander and rest for 15 minutes so the sourness settles into the meat. Serve with hot rice, ragi mudde or jonna rotte.

Tips

Pulusu should be thin and sour-hot, not thick like a kura. If you use broiler chicken instead of country chicken, skip the pressure cooker and simmer covered for 20 minutes only, or it will fall apart.