Chicken Balls Curry / Kozhi Urundai Kulambu

Chicken balls Curry is a very traditional and authentic recipe from south India. It tastes so good and has a lot of flavors added to it. Don't be scared by seeing the ingredients listed below, it is very easy to make. Only tricky thing in the curry is the preparation of chicken balls, I have discussed two preparation methods, beginners can try the traditional method of preparing chicken balls which I have discussed at the bottom of the page. Well, coming to the recipe it is so flavorful and the balls are so succulent as it absorbs the curry's flavor, this curry goes well with any kind of Indian bread and rice variety. You can also make any gravy of your choice and slide these balls into them. This is not kola urundai kulambu, Kozhi urundai differs from kola urundai. 

For my other chicken recipe click here and here!!

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 3)

1. Boneless chicken - 250 grams / Chicken - 500 grams (remove the bones from the chicken while chopping)
2. Egg - 1 (Beaten well)
3. Coconut - 1/2 of a coconut 
4. Big onion - 1 
5. Coriander leaves - A handful
6. Mint leaves - Few 
7. Rice flour - 3 spoons
8. Corn flour - 3 spoons 
9. Dry red chillies - 15 
10. Coriander seeds - 2 spoons 
11. Fennel seeds - 1 spoon 
12. Poppy seeds - 1 spoon 
13. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch long piece 
14. Cardamom pods - 3 
15. Cloves - 3 
16. Cashew - 6 to 8 
17. Lemon juice - 1 spoon 
18. Ghee - 1 spoon (Optional)
19. Oil - 3 to 5 spoons

PREPARATION METHOD

Preparation Of Masala

• Heat a pan/wok and dry roast (i.e. roasting without oil) the following ingredients slightly or for 2 minutes on low flame and set aside; Dry red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds.
• Now after the dry roasted ingredients reaches room temperature, add it to a blender and make a  coarse powder out of it. Then sprinkle some water, make a smooth paste of it and set aside. 

Preparation Of Chicken Balls

• Wash chicken pieces well in water. Pat dry the chicken pieces.
• Chop these chicken pieces into smaller pieces and add it to a blender and give two spins to make minced chicken. (If you get minced chicken directly from the butcher shop/market then you can move on to the next step) Do not add even a drop of water.
• Then add half of the prepared masala paste, corn flour, rice flour and egg and mix well. In case if you find the mixture watery and unable to make balls add more flour. You can use besan flour instead of corn flour and rice flour.
• Make small lemon sized balls out of it. You may get irregular shaped balls. 
• Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry them in oil and set aside. Do not crowd the pan be very patient and gentle while handling the balls. 

To know the traditional way of preparing these chicken balls please go to the bottom of the page. In this method you will have to add flours, but in the traditional method you don't need to add flours.

Preparation Of Curry

• Grind coconut well, add 2 cups of water to the coconut paste strain and extract milk from it and set aside.
• Heat a pan and add oil, then add Cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves and saute for a few seconds.
• Then add sliced onions and saute well until it turns translucent.
• Now add mint leaves and coriander leaves and saute well for 2 minutes or until the leaves shrink. Then add the masala and coconut milk and stir well. 
• Add the bones of the chicken (if you are using chicken with bones follow this step else move on to the next step).Boil the curry on low flame until the bones get cooked well, curry thickens and oil peeps out of it.
• Now add the chicken balls and leave the curry undisturbed for 2 minutes. Do not stir.
• Then add lemon juice to the curry and remove from flame. Serve!!

TIP 1: Do not add even a drop of water while making the balls. See that the chicken pieces are pat dry, if it does not have the right consistency to make balls then add some flour. But too much of flour will ruin the taste.

TIP 2: Use extra bones in the gravy, it will enhance the flavor and taste. And if you wish you can remove it just before serving. I have added some bones in my gravy it gave the curry a good flavor and aroma.

TIP 3: Add some mashed potatoes while making the balls to enhance taste.

TIP 4: I have added a spoon of red chilli powder to satisfy my taste (I have not added this in the ingredients list).You can alter the spiciness according to your wish.

TIP 5: This is not kola urundai preparation Koli urundai is different from the it. 

Another method of preparing Chicken balls without adding flours; 

• Heat a pan add oil, when oil heats up add chopped boneless chicken pieces and saute well until it gets cooked. Stir frequently so that it does not get burnt. 
• Do not add even a drop of water. 
• When the pieces gets well cooked remove from flame and set them aside until they reach room temperature. 
• Take the pieces and put them in a blender and give short spin or pulse.  
• Take this chicken mixture in a bowl, then add egg, salt and mix well. 
• Make balls out of it and deep fry them and set aside.Add these balls to the gravy.

This is the traditional method of preparing Kozhi urundai/chicken balls. This tastes much better but will yield only few balls, so I used the prior method. You will get better shaped and tastier balls in this method. 

Linking this recipe to Anu's SIC, Ramadan Friendly recipes, Joy from fasting to feasting event.