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Kerala Chicken Stew/Ishtu: A Traditional Christmas Breakfast Delight
Sneha Paul

Kerala Chicken Stew

Let's celebrate Christmas the Indian way! Begin your merry morning with a traditional Kerala Christmas dish - Chicken Stew! This comforting breakfast staple is a perfect blend of spices, tender chicken, and rich coconut milk, served with steaming hot appam or idiyappam. A festive and flavourful start to your holiday celebration!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 1- inch cinnamon stick
  • 1- inch ginger thinly sliced
  • 3 green chillies chopped
  • 1 medium-sized onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp chopped garlic around 5-6 small cloves of garlic
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 2-3 French beans chopped
  • 1 medium-sized potato chopped
  • 2 tbsp green peas
  • 250 g chicken curry cut
  • 1 cup thin coconut milk
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp black pepper powder
  • ⅛ tsp garam masala powder
  • ½ cup thick coconut milk or coconut cream
  • For the tempering:
  • 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Method
 

Cooking the Chicken Stew
  1. In a wok, heat oil over medium flame. Add cloves, green cardamom, and cinnamon. Cook until they splutter.
  2. Add ginger and green chillies. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent.
  4. Add carrot, French beans, potato, and peas. Cook until they're half-cooked (4-5 minutes).
  5. Add chicken and stir well. Pour in thin coconut milk and salt. Mix well.
  6. Cook on medium flame until the chicken and vegetables are fully cooked (10-12 minutes).
  7. Lower the flame. Add black pepper and garam masala powder. Mix well. Turn off the flame. Pour in thick coconut milk and mix well. Set aside.
Making the Tempering
  1. In a pan, heat oil over medium flame.
  2. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  3. Add onion and curry leaves. Cook until the onion is golden brown.
  4. Pour the tempering over the chicken stew. Mix well.
  5. Serve the chicken stew hot with appam.