Kori Rotti

My lovelies, say hello to traditional Mangalorean Kori Rotti, one of my favourite childhood indulgences! 🙂

I’ve been seriously craving Mangalorean cuisine lately. Ever since I moved out of my parents’ home, there has been a serious lack of Mom’s scrumptious coconut-based curries, freshly-ground spice gravies and all kinds of leafy veggies in my life. Why don’t I just cook some, you may ask? Well, because the process can be pretty tedious.

Normally, that would be reason enough to refrain from putting spatula to wok (see what I did there? :D) to cook up a storm at home. But not last weekend. Last weekend I was determined! Determined to cook up a Mangalorean feast of Kori Rotti for the boyfriend and me. And that’s exactly what I did!

Kori Rotti is a traditional Mangalorean meal complete with the goodness of the spicy coconut-based Chicken Curry and Crispy Rice Rotti. ‘Kori’, a Tulu word, literally translated means ‘Chicken’ and ‘Rotti’ means, well, Rotti! I’ll try my best to explain – Rotti is a crispy rice preparation that is flaky. Douse it with a good serving of Kori curry and it will soak it all right up. Yumm!

To be honest, I don’t know much about the history of Kori Rotti. And though I say it’s a traditional Mangalorean dish, every other person seems to have their own version of the recipe. The one I’m sharing with you is my Mom’s recipe and in my completely biased opinion, it is the BEST Kori Rotti I’ve ever had! Try this recipe out, and I’m sure you will agree! 😀

Here’s what you need: 

For the Dry Roast

• Dried Cherry Chillies – 4
• Dried Kashmiri Chillies – 4
• Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
• Cumin – 1 tsp
• Black Peppercorns – 1/2 tsp
• Cardamoms – 2 pods, peeled
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
• Raw rice – 1 tsp
• Desiccated Coconut – 6 tbsp

For Wet Grinding

• Onions – 2, medium sized, sliced
• Garlic – 5 cloves
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coconut Milk Powder – 3 tbsp

For the Curry

• Fresh Chicken – 1 kg, washed, cut and seasoned with salt
• Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 2 tbsp
• Onion – 1, large, sliced
• Tomatoes – 2, large, chopped
• Curry Leaves – 2 sprigs
• Salt to taste
• Rotti – 1 pack

Here’s how you make the best ever Kori Rotti:

• Dry roast the whole spices and rice on a hot pan. When they start effusing their aromas, take them off the heat and put them in a mixer jar. Leave to cool.
• In the meantime, dry roast the desiccated coconut on a mild flame until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
• Lightly fry the onions for the wet grinding until they are wilted and leave to cool.
• Grind the roasted whole spices to a fine powder. Then add in the desiccated coconut and with a little water, grind it to a paste.
• When the spice mix is almost done, add in the wilted onions, garlic, turmeric powder and coconut milk powder and grind to a fine paste using 1/2 a cup of water.
• Heat ghee in a large pot and add sliced onions. Fry them until they turn dark brown and then add in the curry leaves. Saute till the leaves effuse their aroma.
• Add the chicken to the ghee and fry. Then add tomatoes, salt and cover and cook without adding water.
• When the chicken is nearly cooked, add the ground spice mix and water little by little, until the desired curry consistency is achieved. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot atop crispy Rice Rotti and dig right in!

This Mangalorean delicacy is the kind of dish that is downright addictive. From the sight – that gorgeous red curry; to the wonderful aromas and the melange of flavours dancing a tango on your taste buds, this dish is the ultimate treat! ❤

Cooking brings me great joy, and when I’m particularly enjoying the cooking process, there’s a lot of excitement and screaming in astonishment that goes on. And while I was cooking this dish, there were definitely more than a few ‘Ooohs’, ‘Wows’ and ‘Oh-my-God-I’m-in-Heavens’!

This recipe is very dear to me. It reminds me of the warmth of home, my family, the delicious weekend meals we shared and the comfort of a meal made with so much love. I put my heart into cooking this flavourful Kori Rotti and I know my mommy dearest would have been proud! Dad would probably be relieved that I finally tried my hand at something close to my roots! 😛

Enjoy a classic Mangalorean meal in your home with my Mom’s recipe for this amazing Kori Rotti. Here’s us – mother and daughter – sharing our love with you through our cooking! ❤

 

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