Ingredients

Parboiled rice     ¼ kg
Chicken    200 g small cubes (bone or boneless)
Onion (large)    1
Green chilli    2
Curry leaves    
All spices    
Coconut milk (thick)    1 cup
Salt    to taste
Turmeric powder    ¼ tsp
Coriander powder    1½ tsp
Garam masala    to taste
Fennel powder    ¼ tsp
Coconut oil    3 tsp
Ginger    2 tsp
Garlic    2 tsp
Red chilli powder    ½ tsp
Cumin seed    ¼ tsp

Method of preparation

Rice buttons
Soak the parboiled rice for two hours and grind it to make thick dough by adding small amount of water. Then roll the dough and shape it like large pieces of button. Place them on an oiled piece of plantain leaf and steam them for 10 minutes.

Chicken
Take some coconut oil and heat it in a pan. Add few pieces of cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon and cumin seed. Stir them well. Into this, add chopped pieces of ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves. Stir again. Next, add onion and stir well. Now add powdered turmeric, red chilli, fennel and coriander. Add salt and continue stirring. Next to go in are the pieces of chicken. Pour some water and stir gently. You may now put some garam masala. Mix the ingredients. Keep them uniformly spread. Cover the pan and cook for some more time.

Remove the cover, stir the ingredients and add water if required. Put back the cover and allow it to simmer. Take out the steamed rice pathari and keep it aside. Now add some coconut milk into the chicken preparation and add some salt. Stir well. Finally add the button-shaped rice pathari into the chicken preparation and gently mix them well. Add some more garam masala.

It is now time for you to relish Kunji Pathari.

Courtesy
Mr. Majo C Chirappuram
Executive Chef
Vythiri Resort, Wayanad
www.vythiriresort.com