Assad (Franco-Tamil coconut curry)

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken or mutton, cut in pieces
• 2 cups thin coconut milk and 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 3 green chillies, slit
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 cloves, 2 cardamoms and a small cinnamon stick
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil, add the whole spices and fennel, then the onions and green chillies; cook until soft but not brown.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the meat and salt and turn it in the masala for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the thin coconut milk, cover and simmer until the meat is tender (about 20 minutes for chicken, longer for mutton).
5. Lower the heat, add the thick coconut milk, pepper and curry leaves, and warm through without boiling.
6. Finish with lemon juice. Serve with rice, bread or idiyappam.