People will be surprised to see that castor oil is used for cooking, but in ancient days Castor oil was used for cooking. Castor oil, is a vegetable oil squeezed out from the seeds of castor plant. It is one of the most ancient oils, it has numerous natural health benefits. Castor oil helps to deal with problems related to hair, skin, joints and intestine. This recipe is one of a traditional regional Karnataka recipe, which is prepared by frying spices and onion in castor oil, which taste yummy as a side dish for roti or rice. 

Preparation time – 20 min

Cooking time – 20 min

Serves – 4

Ingredients:-

Chicken – 1 kg (with bone)

Salt to taste

To fry –

Paste -1

Cumin (jeera) – 1 tsp

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tbs

Cinnamon – 1 medium stick

Green chilly – 5 no’s (adjust to your taste)

Castor oil to fry

Paste – 2

Onion – 3 medium (chopped roughly)

Paste – 3

Coconut – 3 tbs grated (ground into a paste)

Procedure –

Clean and rinse chicken, drain out the water and keep aside.

To make paste – 1

Take a frying pan, add 1 tsp of castor oil heat it, when it becomes hot, add soump fry until it turns to dark brown in colour, remove and set aside, next add jeera, coriander seeds, cinnamon, green chilies separately one by one and fry to dark brown in colour, allow the mixture to cool.

Grind to a paste and keep separately.

To make paste – 2

Add 1 tbs of  castor oil and fry chopped onions and fry till dark brown in colour, grind to a paste and keep separately .

Take a kadai add 2 tsp of refined oil, heat it, add  paste – 1,

Fry until the oil separates from the edges of the pan, add chicken pieces, add salt to taste, saute together, fry until the water of the chicken evaporates, add 1/4 cup of water and cook in a medium, close the lid of the pan,cook until the chicken is 3/4 done.

When the chicken is yet to done, add grounded onion paste, combine together, cook until the chicken is done, check the chicken, ensure it is cooked and almost done, bring the curry to a thick in consistency.

Add grounded coconut paste, mix it, cook to a thick gravy.

Remove from the flame, close the lid and rest it for 5 to 10 min before you serve.

Traditional Chicken curry prepared with castro oil (Kappu koli fry) is ready to serve as a side dish for rice /roti.

Tips –

Chicken cooked with castor oil  makes the curry not only tasty, but has health benefits as chicken is heat, castor oil is cooling agent, and a good oil with many health benefits.