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Nepalese

Kukhura ko masu

Non-vegetarian

कुखुराको मासु · Kukhura ko masu

Homestyle Nepali chicken curry cooked in mustard oil with lots of onion, tomato, garlic, ginger and warm spices into a thick, spoonable gravy.

Kukhura ko masu is a Nepalese main course, ready in about 1 hour 5 minutes and made with chicken pieces, skin-on and mustard oil. It serves 5 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of spicy chicken curry with potatoes, garnished with cilantro and green chilies.
Photo: Muhammad Khawar Nazir / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 h 5 min
Serves
5
Level
Easy
Calories
574

Ingredients

5 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the mustard oil (opens in a new tab) until it just smokes, then lower the heat. Add the bay leaves (opens in a new tab), dried chillies and fenugreek (opens in a new tab) and fry for 30 seconds until the fenugreek darkens.

  2. Step 2

    Add the onions (opens in a new tab) and fry until deep golden, then the garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger for 1 minute.

    • 12 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the chicken, turmeric (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab), coriander, cayenne and salt and fry over medium-high heat for 8 minutes until the chicken is coated and browning.

    • 8 min
    • medium-high heat

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

  4. Step 4

    Add the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and cook until broken down, then add the water, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy thick. Finish with garam masala (opens in a new tab) and coriander.

    • 28 min
    • low heat

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

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Nepal · Commonly attributedMore food from Nepal
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Curries
Cooking method
Braised, Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Chicken pieces, skin-on · Mustard oil · Bay leaves · Dried whole chillies · Fenugreek · Onion
Techniques
Simmering · Braising

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Mustardfrom mustard oil

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

574 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 378 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 27%
  • Carbohydrate 7%
  • Fat 66%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy574 kcal152 kcal
Protein39 g10.3 g
Carbohydrate10.2 g2.7 g
Net carbohydrate7.7 g2 g
Sugars3.3 g0.9 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.5 g0.7 g
Fat41.7 g11 g
Saturated fat10 g2.6 g
Trans fat0.2 g0.1 g
Cholesterol150 mg40 mg
Sodium1081 mg286 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
654 mg
Calcium
68 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
62 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
119 µg
Vitamin C
15 mg
Vitamin D
0.4 µg
Vitamin B12
0.6 µg
Folate (DFE)
30 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: coriander leaves.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” 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

  • Many Nepali cooks use a pressure cooker: 2–3 whistles after adding the water.

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the onions — deep golden onions give the gravy its colour and body.

Serve with

  • Serve with rice, dal and achar, or with sel roti at festivals.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; freezes well.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently until piping hot.

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

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. 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

Used in steps 3, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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