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South Indian · Indian

Kori gassi

Non-vegetarian

Mangalore's chicken curry: chicken simmered in a coconut gravy coloured and spiced with roasted byadgi chillies, coriander and a hint of fenugreek and tamarind.

Kori gassi is a South Indian curry, ready in about 1 hour and made with chicken thigh, dried whole chillies and coconut milk. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Delicious Indian chicken curry served in a bowl, garnished with fresh cilantro, alongside green chutney.
Photo: arijit dey / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 h
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
534

Ingredients

4 servings

For the masala

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rub the chicken with turmeric (opens in a new tab) and half the salt.

    • 2 min

    Food safety: Wash hands and boards after handling raw chicken.

  2. Step 2

    Toast the chillies, coriander, cumin (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab) and fenugreek (opens in a new tab) in 1 tsp oil until fragrant. Blend with the garlic (opens in a new tab), tamarind, coconut and water to a very smooth paste.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the coconut oil (opens in a new tab) in a heavy pot and fry the onions (opens in a new tab) until golden brown.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the chicken and sear for 5 minutes, then add the masala paste and remaining salt. Cover and simmer until the chicken is nearly done.

    • 18 min
    • medium-low heat
    Meat searing in a hot pan
    How it looks · Photo: Skylar Kang on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Stir in the coconut milk (opens in a new tab) (and curry leaves (opens in a new tab)) and simmer gently, uncovered, until the gravy is creamy and the chicken is cooked through. Don't let it boil hard.

    • 6 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Chicken must reach 74 °C at the thickest part.

About this dish

Origin
Mangalore and Udupi (coastal Karnataka), Karnataka, India · Well documentedAssociated especially with the Bunt community of Tulu Nadu.More food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Toasted, Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), creamy, aromatic / warmly spiced, tangy
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Chicken thigh · Dried whole chillies · Coconut milk · Turmeric · Ground coriander · Cumin
Techniques
Toasting · Searing · Simmering · Spice roasting (dry-roasting)

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

534 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 394 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 26%
  • Carbohydrate 14%
  • Fat 60%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy534 kcal135 kcal
Protein36.1 g9.2 g
Carbohydrate18.6 g4.7 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre——
Fat36.7 g9.3 g
Saturated fat26.3 g6.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol153 mg39 mg
Sodium1051 mg266 mg
Salt equivalent2.6 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
875 mg
Calcium
85 mg
Iron
5.6 mg
Magnesium
105 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
53 µg
Vitamin C
7 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
1 µg
Folate (DFE)
31 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: curry leaves.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Fresh grated coconut makes the smoothest, most fragrant gravy; blend it longer than you think.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling hard after the coconut milk goes in — it splits.

Serve with

  • Traditionally served with crisp kori rotti wafers, or with neer dosa or rice.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently; coconut milk can split if boiled.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Chicken thigh, skinless, bone-in thighs and drumsticks, cut into curry pieces650 g
Used in step 1

Reviews & corrections

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