Kerala Chicken Stew Recipe | Chicken Ishtu Recipe
Kerala Chicken stew, also known as chicken ishtu, chicken stew is a popular side dish from Kerala region. It is a white colour chicken stew which is mild and made with whole spices, onions, green chillies, chicken, ginger, garlic and coconut milk. In this blog post I have shared two ways of making chicken stew with and without vegetables. This mild chicken stew goes well with idiyappam, appam, puttu, idli or dosa.
Equipment
Blender
Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 500 grams Bone-in Chicken
- 1 large Onions peeled and sliced thinly
- 6 no Green chillies slit
- 1 tablespoon Ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder to taste
- 2 cups Second Extract Coconut milk (Thin - Second Extract)
- 1 cup First Extract Coconut milk ( Thick - First Extract)
For Cashew Paste
- 50 grams Cashews
- ½ cup Hot Water
Whole Spices For Tempering
- 3 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 piece
Cinnamon
- 1 no Bay Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 4 no Cardamom crushed
- 2 no Cloves
- 2 sprig Curry leaves
For Tempering (Garnishing)
- 3 tablespoon Coconut Oil or Ghee
- 10 no Cashews
- 10 no Shallots peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 sprig Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pot add in whole spices listed and curry leaves. Let it sizzle for a minute so the spices release the flavour into the curry. Add in ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute.
- Add in sliced onions and green chillies. Sauce for 2 minutes until onions gets slightly translucent.
- Add in chicken, salt, pepper powder and saute till it gets seared, it will take around 4 to 5 minutes. Now add in thin coconut milk and mix well. Now cover the pot and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
- While chicken is cooking, Soak cashews in hot water for 15 mins. Now take this in a blender and make it into a fine puree. Add this into the chicken. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes until it gets slightly thick.
- Once the curry thickens. Finally pour in thick coconut milk and mix well. Let it simmer for 1 minute. Take it off the heat and set aside.
- Heat coconut oil or ghee for tempering. Add in shallots and fry till golden. Once shallots get lightly golden, add in curry leaves and cashews. Mix well and cook until cashews get golden. Pour this into the stew and mix well.
- Serve with appam, idiyappam.
Video
Notes
- use bone-in chicken for making chicken stew which makes the curry flavourful.
- Use fresh coconut milk for better flavour.
- Instead of cashews, you can use badam or melon seeds.
- You can add or skip vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Kerala Chicken Stew Recipe | Chicken Ishtu Recipe
Serving Size
1 servings
Amount per Serving
Calories
801
% Daily Value*
Fat
74
g
114
%
Saturated Fat
46
g
288
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
16
g
Cholesterol
133
mg
44
%
Sodium
1313
mg
57
%
Potassium
692
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
18
g
6
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
23
g
46
%
Vitamin A
186
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
46
mg
56
%
Calcium
87
mg
9
%
Iron
6
mg
33
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.