Malvani Chicken Curry (Malvani Kombdi Rassa)

Malvani chicken curry with step by step photos and a video recipe. Malvani chicken also known as Malvani Kombdi Rassa, is a spicy Maharashtrian chicken curry from Malvani cuisine. This cuisine is from Malvan, a small town in the Sindhudurg district, located in the South Konkan region of Maharashtra & Goa.

Malvani Chicken Curry Recipe

Malvani chicken curry, also known as Malvani Kombdi Rassa in Marathi (the language of Maharashtra, India). "Kombdi" translates to chicken, and "Rassa," means curry.

This Malvani Kombdi rassa gets its unique flavor from freshly ground Malvani masala, coconut, and tamarind. You can serve this spicy Maharashtrian chicken curry with steamed rice, chapati (Indian flatbread), vade, or Bhakri (rice flour chapati) and SolKadhi.

More Maharashtrian curry recipes that you might like Kolhapuri Chicken Curry, Kolhapuri Tabda Rassa, Kolhapuri Chicken Sukka, and Maharashtrian Chicken Sukka. Let's make Malvani-style chicken curry.

Malvani Chicken Curry Ingredients

Malvani Masala

Malvani masala is a unique spice blend of 16 spices like red chilies, coriander, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, etc. used by the people of Malvan. These spices are slow-roasted, ground in powdered form, and stored in airtight containers.

You can use store-bought Malvani masala or make it at home. You can find this Malvani masala in grocery stores in Maharashtra or purchase it online. This masala is not easily available everywhere, so I have shared the recipe to make Malwani masala at home.

You can use this flavorful Malvani masala to make other non-vegetarian curries like Malvani mutton curry or Malvani chicken sukka. For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

For Malvani Chicken

• Chicken - I have used chicken with bones as they make the Malvani Kombdi curry flavorful. To substitute, you can also use chicken thighs or drumsticks.

• Onion & coconut paste (also known as Vatan) - I have used red onions and freshly grated coconut. You can substitute fresh coconut with dry-grated coconut or coconut milk. If using coconut milk, add it towards the end of cooking Malvani kombdi rassa.
• For the chicken marinade - A fresh blend of ginger, garlic, green chilies, and coriander leaves are used. Most Maharashtrian chicken curries use this green masala to marinate the chicken.
• Byadagi red chilies - These chilies give a bright red color to this Maharashtrian curry and are mildly spicy. You can substitute it with Kashmiri red chilies. Or substitute it with any dry red chilies. But then adjust the quantity as per the spiciness of the chilies you are using.

How to make Malvani Chicken Curry (with Stepwise Photos)

Preparations

Making Malvani Masala - This is optional. You can use store-bought Malvani masala and skip this step.

1. Heat a heavy bottom pan over medium-low heat.
2. Add ingredients to make the Malvani masala mentioned in the recipe card notes. Dry roast on low heat, stirring continuously, until aromatic. Remove it to a plate. Let it cool down completely.
3. Transfer to a mixer/grinder jar. Grind to a fine powder. Keep it aside. Homemade Malvani masala is ready. Skip this step if using store-bought masala.

Making Green Masala

1. Add all the ingredients mentioned under green masala. Add a little water and grind to a fine paste. Green Masala is ready. Keep it aside.

Marinate the chicken

1. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken with salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, lemon juice, prepared green masala, and 2 teaspoon of Malvani masala. Marinate for an hour. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator.

   

Make the onion-coconut paste

1. Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a deep bottom pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until lightly golden. Add grated coconut and sauté until golden. Remove and keep it aside to cool down. Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mixer/grinder jar. Add a little water and grind to a fine paste. Do not add more water, the paste should be thick.

   

Making the Malvani chicken

1. Heat 3 tablespoon of oil in a deep bottom pan/Kadai over medium heat. Add bay leaf and sauté for 30 seconds.
2. Next, add onions and sauté until golden.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté it for a minute.
4. Add 2 teaspoon of Malvani masala (add as per spice preference). Cook it for a minute.

   

5. Add the prepared onion-coconut paste. Cook until the coconut masala starts to leave oil from the sides.
6. Add the marinated chicken.

   

7. Cook until oil starts to separate from the sides.
8. Add 3 cups of hot water and combine. (adjust the consistency of the curry as per your liking)
9. Taste and add salt.
10. Cover partially and cook until the chicken is cooked. It will take almost 15-20 minutes. Serve Malvani-style chicken curry with steamed rice or bhakri.

    

Expert Tips

• Dry roast all the whole spices on low-medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid the burning of spices.
• Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness of this Malvani chicken.
• Marinating the chicken makes it tender and juicy. Do not skip this step.
• While grinding the Malvani masala, make sure to grind it to a fine powder. Do not grind to a coarse powder. It will taste bitter if the spices come to your mouth.
• While making onion-coconut masala, add less water to grind it. If the ground coconut paste is too thin it will take longer to cook.
• The Malvani masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you prefer spicy, add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add less.
• It is important to add hot water while making this spicy Maharashtrian chicken curry. It makes the chicken tender and juicy. Also, reduces the cooking time.
• You can store the homemade masala powder in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It stays good for 6 months. You can use it to make any non-vegetarian curries like egg curry or mutton curry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Suggestions for Malvani Kombdi Rassa

• To store Malvani Masala - Transfer the Malvani masala powder to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It stays good for 6 months.
• If you are storing the leftover Malvani chicken, make sure to store them within 2 hours of cooking.
• To store the leftover Malvani chicken curry - Let the curry come to room temperature. Transfer the chicken curry to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
• To freeze the curry - Transfer it to an airtight container and freeze. Stays good for a month. Thaw, reheat, and serve.

Variations that you can try

• You can substitute chicken with eggs or Mutton to make Malvani egg curry or Malvani mutton curry.

More chicken curry recipes that you may like

• Goan Chicken Xacuti
• Chicken Chettinad
• Chicken Cafreal

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4 from 2 votes

Malvani Chicken Curry

Malvani chicken curry with step by step photos and a video recipe. Malvani chicken also known as Malvani Kombdi Rassa, is a spicy Maharashtrian chicken curry from Malvani cuisine. It is made with chicken, freshly ground Malvani masala, and coconut. You can serve it with steamed rice, chapati (Indian flatbread), vade, or Bhakri (rice flour chapati) and SolKadhi. Let’s see how to make this chicken curry easily at home with step by step photos and a recipe video.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Malvani

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 430kcal

Author Preeti

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl
• 1 Deep bottom pan/Kadhai

Ingredients

To make green masala

• 2- inch ginger
• 20-25 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies add as per your spice preference
• ½ cup coriander leaves with stems

To marinate the chicken

• 700 grams chicken curry cut
• 2 teaspoon Malvani masala You can use store bought or make your own. Recipe in the notes below.
• salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Green masala

For onion-coconut paste

• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 cup of grated coconut

To make the Malvani chicken curry

• 2 teaspoon Malvani masala You can use store-bought or make your own. Recipe in the notes below.
• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

Instructions

Making green masala

• Add all the ingredients mentioned under green masala. Add little water and grind to a fine paste. Green Masala is ready. Keep it aside.
  2- inch ginger, 20-25 garlic cloves, 2-3 green chilies, ½ cup coriander leaves with stems

Marinate the chicken

• In a mixing bowl, combine chicken with salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, lemon juice, prepared green masala, and 2 teaspoon of Malvani masala. Marinate for an hour. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator.
  700 grams chicken, 2 teaspoon Malvani masala, salt to taste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Green masala

Make onion-coconut paste

• Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a deep bottom pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until light golden.
  2 teaspoon oil, 1 onion
• Add grated coconut and sauté until golden. Remove and keep it aside to cool down.
  1 cup of grated coconut
• Transfer the roasted ingredients to mixer/grinder jar.
• Add little water and grind to a fine paste. Do not add more water, the paste should be thick.

Making Malvani chicken curry

• Heat 3 tablespoon of oil in a deep bottom pan/Kadai over medium heat.
• Add bay leaf and sauté for 30 seconds.
  1 bay leaf
• Next, add onions and sauté until golden.
  1 onion
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté it for a minute.
  2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• Add 2 teaspoon of Malvani masala (add as per spice preference). Cook it for a minute.
  2 teaspoon Malvani masala
• Add the prepared onion-coconut paste. Cook until the coconut masala starts to leave oil from the sides.
• Add the marinated chicken. Cook until oil starts to separate from the sides.
• Add 3 cups of hot water and combine. (adjust the consistency of the curry as per your liking)
• Taste and add salt.
• Cover partially and cook until the chicken is cooked. It will take almost 15-20 minutes. Serve chicken curry with steamed rice, bhakri or vade.

Video

Notes

• Dry roast all the whole spices on low-medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid the burning of spice.
• Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
• Marinating the chicken makes it tender and juicy. Do not skip this step.
• While grinding the Malwani masala, make sure to grind it to a fine powder. Do not grind to a coarse powder. It will taste bitter if the spices come to your mouth.
• While making onion-coconut masala, add less water to grind it. If the ground coconut paste is too thin it will take longer to cook.
• The Malvani masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you prefer spicy, add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add less.
• It is important to add hot water while making this Maharashtrian chicken curry. It makes the chicken tender and juicy. Also, reduces the cooking time.
• You can store the homemade masala powder in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It stays good for 6 months. You can use it to make any non-vegetarian curries like egg curry or mutton curry.
• To make Malvani Masala (Optional)
  Ingredients: 4-5 dried red chilies, ¼ teaspoon cumin (Jeera), 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (Dhaniya), ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds (Shahi Jeera), ⅛ teaspoon mustard (Rai/Sasam), ¼ teaspoon fennel (Saunf), 1- inch cinnamon (Dalchini), ½ star anise (Chakra phool), 4 cloves (Laung), 10 peppercorns (Kali mirch), 1 black cardamom (Badi Elaichi), 2 green cardamoms (choti elaichi), 1 black stone flower (optional) (Biryani phool/dagad phool), A small piece nutmeg (Jaiphal), 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (Safed Til), 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (Khus-khus), 1 blade mace (Javitri), and ⅛ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (Methi dana).
• Method: Dry roast all the ingredients on low heat until aromatic. Remove it to a plate to cool down to room temperature. Grind it to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container in freezer. Stays good for 6 months.