Kozhi Pidi / Kunji Pathal (Curried Chicken and rice dumplings)

Ingredients:

For the Pidi

2 cups raw rice (poni rice)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
2 tsp fennel seeds (Perumjeerakam)
1 large onion roughly chopped
3/4 Tbs salt
1/2 cup +2 tbs Rice flour

For the gravy: 

500 g chicken cut in small pieces (Can use beef or mutton)
3 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
4 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
2 onion, chopped
30 g (1 heaped Tbs) grated ginger
6 large cloves (2 Tbs) of grated garlic
2 chopped tomato
1 cup water
1-2 tbs oil

For making coconut paste: 
2 tbs oil
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups Grated coconut (fresh)
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cardamoms
4 cloves
2-3 small pieces of cinnamon sticks
2 cups water

 For making the pidis:

Soak the rice in tap water for 8-10 hours. Grind it along with minimal water until you get a coarse and grainy mixture  Add coconut, fennel seeds and roughly chopped onions to this and grind for few seconds until everything is just crushed and NOT smooth.  Tip the whole mixture in to a large bowl, add salt and mix well.  Add the rice powder and mix well using hands until you get a dough that can be shaped into balls.  Now, rub your palms and fingers using oil. Take a very small portion of the dough, roll it into rounds and gently press in the middle to make a depression. Oil the banana leaf arrange these pellets. After finishing put it on steamer. Steam cook for 8-10 minutes until done. The soft rice dough will harden once fully cooked.

For making the coconut Paste:

Heat a large frying pan, add oil. Add  cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and sautéuntil the aroma comes. It will take just few seconds or under a minute depending on the heat and saucepan used. Add fennel seeds and coconut and sauté until the coconut starts taking golden colour. Grind all into a smooth paste by adding the required amount of water, I added 2 cups

For making the Gravy: 

 Heat a pressure cooker, add oil. When hot, Add onions and salt and sauté till it starts turning golden. Don’t brown. Add ginger and garlic and saute till raw smell fades. Add the chopped tomatoes, cover and cook for few minutes until everything is well combined.Add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder andsauté for few seconds.  Add chicken and stir well. Add a cup of water and pressure cook till chicken is cooked and oil clears from sides. Add the ground coconut mixture, curry leaves andgaram masala to this and bring to boil stirring well. Cook for a couple of minutes more. Add the cooked pidi into this one, stir well and cook in very low flame for 5 minutes. Take it off the flame. By this time, the gravy will be very thick coating all the pidis.