Mangalorean Chicken Sukka recipe (Kori Sukka)

Mangalorean Chicken sukka with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Chicken sukka (or Kori Sukka) is a dry or semi-dry chicken curry from Mangalorean cuisine. This cuisine is from Mangalore (officially called Mangaluru), is a coastal city, nestled on the Konkan coast of the Indian state of Karnataka.

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Mangalorean cuisine is popular for its spicy dishes. The specialty of Mangalorean cuisine is its freshly ground spices, heavy use of coconut, dried red chilies, and curry leaves in their foods.

I grew up enjoying the foods from Mangalorean cuisine. Mangalorean cuisine is well known for its spicy fish and chicken dishes like Mangalorean chicken ghee roast, Mangalorean Rava fish fry, or Mangalorean prawns ghee roast. These are our family favorites and at least one of them has to be there on Sunday’s menu.

About this recipe

In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make Mangalorean-style chicken sukka with homemade sukka masala. It is also known as Kori Sukka/Kori Ajadina in the Tulu language.

Kori means chicken in the Tulu language and Sukka means “dry“. This dry chicken curry has all the delectable flavors of Konkan cuisine.

It is made with chicken, freshly ground spices and coconut. You can serve it with Roti, Dosa, or Rice.

Though preparing this spicy chicken dish is a time-consuming task, the spices are roasted on low heat until aromatic and then grind to a fine powder.

But all that hard work is paid off when your dish receives appreciation from your friends and family.

You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:

• Maharashtrian chicken sukka
• Kolhapuri chicken sukka
• Chicken 65
• Chili Chicken
• Dhaba style chicken curry
• Hyderabadi Chicken Masala

Why You Need This Recipe

• Easy step-by-step instructions with a recipe video.
• This recipe is easy to customize. Check out the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
• Make ahead recipe – You can cook it in advance. Store in airtight conatiner in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
• Homemade sukka masala powder – This is unique and you will love it. Every family have their own recipes to make sukka masala. It is so aromatic and easy to prepare. I have shared the recipe in the post. This sukka masala powder recipe is surely a keeper. You can add it to any other non-vegetarian recipes like mutton sukka.
• Balanced flavor – This recipe is not too spicy. You can adjust the spices as per your taste by increasing or decreasing the sukka masala powder. This is the dish that whole family can enjoy including your kids.
• Gluten-free

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken – You can use either boneless chicken or chicken with bones. Basically, chicken with bones are more flavorful.
• Lemon juice – You can substitute it with vinegar.
• Turmeric  powder
• Salt
• Byadagi red chilies – These chilies give bright red color to the dish and are mild spicy. You can substitute it with Kashmiri red chilies. Or substitute it with any dry red chili. But then adjust the quantity as per the spice level of the chilies you are using.
• For Sukka Masala Powder – Coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, garlic cloves, curry leaves, turmeric powder and a small piece of tamarind. You can substitute tamarind with lemon juice. Do check out the cooking tips for more detail. If you do not have the whole spices then substitute it with ½ tsp store bought garam masala powder.
• Ginger, garlic and onions – Basics of Indian cuisine. You can substitute whole ginger and garlic with ginger and garlic paste. I have used red onions for this recipe.
• Freshly grated coconut – Coconut balances the spiciness by adding sweetness to the dish.You can substitute it with dry coconut or desiccated coconut.
• Herbs – I have used curry leaves and coriander leaves. Curry leaves gives this kori sukka the authentic aroma and flavor. Do not skip it. You can skip the addition of coriander leaves.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

Tips to make Best Chicken Sukka

• Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid burning of spice.
• Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
• If you do not have tamarind, skip it while making sukka masala powder. Add lemon juice at the end after adding the coconut.
• You can substitute sukka masala powder with store-bought garam masala powder. Add ½ tsp garam masala powder or add it as per your taste.
• Marinating the chicken helps it to remain juicy. Also, enhances the flavor. Do marinate the chicken at least for an hour for best flavors.
• Roast the coconut until light golden and then add it to the sukka. It enhances the flavor.
• Be careful while adding water to the recipe. It is a semi-dry chicken dish and you have to use less water during all the stages of cooking.
• Ghee enhances the flavor of the sukka. Try not to skip it.
• Curry leaves are the signature flavor of South Indian cuisine. Do not skip it.
• The sukka masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you like spicy add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy add less masala powder.

Step by step instructions with photos

Preparations

• To marinate the chicken – In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, salt, lemon juice, and turmeric powder. Marinate for 30 minutes.
• Roughly crush ginger and garlic in mortar and pestle. Set it aside.
• Slice the onions and set it aside.
• Grate the coconut and set it aside.

Making the sukka masala

• Heat a pan over medium-low heat.
• Dry roast red chilies until crisp. Remove and set this aside on a plate.
• In the same pan, dry roast coriander seeds, fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Roast them until aromatic. Remove it on the same plate.
• Fry garlic with 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Roast until the color changes to golden. Next, add curry leaves and fry until crisp. Remove it to the same plate.
• Let all the roasted ingredients cool down completely.
• Break the roasted red chilies. You can deseed them to reduce the spiciness of the chilies.
• Add it to the mixer or grinder jar. Add the rest of the roasted ingredients.
• To this add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and a small piece of tamarind. Grind it without adding water. Homemade sukka masala powder is ready. Set this aside.
• You can store the prepared sukka masala powder in freezer. Stays good for a month.

Making the Mangalorean chicken sukka

• Roast coconut until light golden. Remove it on another plate. We will use it later while making the sukka.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of ghee in a pan over medium heat.
• Add onions and sauté until onions are translucent.

• Next, add curry leaves and crushed ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. The onions will start to become golden in color.
• Add marinated chicken and cook until the color of chicken changes from pink to white.  Cover and cook on low heat until chicken is completely cooked. Stir it in between. Also, if needed add little water to cook it.

• When the chicken is completely cooked, add 3 teaspoon of sukka masala powder. Stir to combine.
• Add ¼ cup of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.

• After 5 minutes the masala starts to leave oil from the sides.
• Taste and add salt. If you see masala is dry then add 2-3 tablespoon water. Do not add more water. At this stage, if you want, you can add more sukka masala powder to make it spicy. But taste it first and if required, then only add it.
• Add the roasted coconut. Stir to combine. I have added little water. Cook on high for 2 minutes.
• Finally, add 2 tsp of ghee. This step is completely optional. But it surely enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
• Add coriander leaves. Remove from heat. It is ready to serve.
• Serve this Mangalorean chicken sukka with Rice and dal or Neer dosa.

FAQs

Storage Suggestions

• Leftover sukka can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. To reheat, sprinkle some water on it and heat it until piping hot.
• You can store the leftover Mangalorean chicken sukka in the freezer. Stays good for a week.

Variations that you can try

• You can make Mangalorean mutton sukka recipe with the same process. The cooking time for mutton will be more. Once the mutton is cooked, add the spice powders and follow the same process.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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