Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa

Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa is a spicy red curry from Kolhapur, (Maharashtra, India), known for its vibrant color, and bold and spicy flavors. Tambda rassa is made with meat (chicken or lamb) stock cooked with a fiery blend of spices, onion, garlic, ginger, and coconut. Served with Bhakri, Roti, or steamed rice.

Tambda rassa is made with stock/broth prepared with tender pieces of meat like mutton or chicken. The stock is then flavored with the Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala (onion-garlic chutney) and other spices.

Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa is popular for its bright red color, spiciness, and depth of taste. So, if you are a spice lover, this recipe is just for you. More Maharashtrian recipes that you might like are our Kolhapuri Chicken Curry and Maharashtrian Chicken Sukka.

What's in this Tambda Rassa?

Tambda rassa is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe and requires a lot of ingredients. The aroma and flavor of Tambda rassa are amazing and you will love to make it again. For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

Meat - Traditionally it is made with mutton or lamb meat but you can also use chicken. I have made it with bone-in chicken (curry-cut).

Poppy Seeds - Skip if you do not have it.

Kanda-Lasun Masala - Also known as Kolhapuri chutney or onion-garlic chutney. This dish is incomplete without this masala. You can purchase it online. You can use it to make any non-vegetarian curry. It adds a unique flavor and aroma to this Kolhapuri dish.

How to make Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa

Here's an easy step by step recipe for Kolhapuri tambda rassa.

Step 1: Marinate the chicken 

1. In a mixer/blender jar, add 12 garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger, 2 green chilies, and 2 tablespoon water. Grind it to a fine paste.
2. In a mixing bowl, marinate the chicken with the prepared paste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Keep it aside.

   

Step 2: Preparing the stock

1. Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add onions. Cook until onions are golden.
3. Add marinated chicken. Cook until the color of the chicken turns from pink to white. It might take 5 minutes.
4. Add 6 cups of hot water. Combine. Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked.

   

Step 3: Preparing the watan (masala)

1. Meanwhile, the chicken is cooking, so let’s prepare the Watan (masala). Roast 1 cup of dry coconut on low heat until golden. Remove it to a plate. Let it cool down.
2. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoon coriander seeds,1 teaspoon cumin, 4 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon, 1-star anise, 4 green cardamoms, 1 petal of Javitri, 6 black peppercorns, and 1 bay leaf. Dry roast on low heat until aromatic. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (khus khus). Dry roast for a minute. Immediately remove it to the same plate to cool down to room temperature.

   

3. Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until lightly golden. Add ginger and garlic to it. Stir and cook until the garlic is lightly golden. Add tomato, stir, and cook until they are soft. Remove it to another plate.
4. Transfer the roasted coconut and whole spices to a mixer/blender jar. Grind it to a fine powder. To it add 1 cup tightly packed coriander leaves, the onion-tomato masala, and 10 cashews. Add a little water and grind it to a thick paste.

   

5. Heat ¼ cup of oil on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoon Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala and 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Stir and cook it for a minute. Add the prepared paste, and combine. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock (from Step 2). Cook until masala starts to leave oil from the sides. Watan is ready.
6. Divide the watan (masala) into two parts. One part is used to make tambda rassa and the other part is used to make chicken sukka.

   

Step 4: Making Kolhapuri tambda rassa

1. Remove the chicken from the stock. Keep it covered aside in another bowl.
2. Add half of the prepared masala or watan to the stock. Stir to combine. Let it come to a boil on medium heat.
3. Taste and add salt as per taste.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves. Tambda rassa is ready to serve.

   

Step 5: Making chicken sukka (Optional)

1. Remove the other half of the watan (masala) to a small bowl. For making chicken sukka, I used the same pot that I used to make watan.
2. Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.
3. Add 1.5 cups of finely chopped onions and sauté until they are soft. Add 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes and sauté it for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until tomatoes are soft.
4. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and 2 teaspoon Kanda lasun masala. Saute it for a minute.

   

5. Add watan to it, stir well to combine. Add ¼ cup of prepared tambda rassa and cook it for 2 minutes.
6. Add the cooked chicken and combine well with the masala. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon ghee. This step is completely optional but it adds a lot of flavor to the sukka. Taste and add salt and lemon juice as per taste.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves. Chicken sukka is ready.

   

Tips to make Best Tambda Rassa

1. While preparing the stock add hot water. It speeds up the cooking process.
2. Different brands of Kanda lasun masala differ in level of spiciness. Start with adding 1 teaspoon of it. You can add more later if required.

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

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