Mangalorean Chicken Roast with Ghee is a signature dish that captures the coastal spirit of Mangalore. We slather this chicken in a fresh spice paste of dried red chilies, black pepper, coriander, fennel, as well as fenugreek. After, we slowly roast the chicken in ghee until each piece is tender, smoky, and full of flavor. Curry leaves, jaggery, and yogurt add brightness, subtle sweetness, and tang for a dish you’ll want to add to your weekly dinner plans.

This dish originates from the South Indian town of Kundapur in Mangalore, Karnataka in the kitchen of the Shetty Lunch Home. It has a signature deep red color and smokiness from the Byadgi chilies, a tanginess from the tamarind, and richness from the ghee, or clarified butter.

More About Mangalore

Mangalore is a port city on India’s southwestern coast, known for its culture, rich history, and distinctive coastal cuisine. Along the Arabian Sea, Mangalore is a hub for trade, which is why the area brings together flavors, ingredients, and culinary techniques from across India and beyond. The city is especially famous for its use of fresh coconut, curry leaves, tamarind, and seafood, as well as bold spice blends. Mangalorean cuisine reflects the city’s coastal geography and multicultural heritage with dishes like Chicken Ghee Roast, kori rotti, and also seafood curries.

Mangalorean Chicken Roast with Ghee

---

• Author: Veda Sankaran

Print Recipe

Description

See how ghee and Mangalorean flavors change up roast chicken.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For ghee roast masala:

• 16 Byadgi dried red chilies
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp black peppercorn
• 6 cloves
• 1 ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup of water

Remaining ingredients: 

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 3 ½ lb) skin off, cut into preferred size pieces (3-4”)
• ⅓ cup yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp melted ghee + 7 tbsp ghee
• 4 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp jaggery or dark brown sugar
• Salt to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Dry roast the red chilies. Once cool, grind in a spice grinder and set aside.
2. Then, in the same skillet, dry roast the remaining spices. Once cool, combine with the ground chilies and grind to a powder.
3. Add the ginger and garlic along with 1 cup of water added gradually to make a paste .
4. Place the ground paste in a bowl, add yogurt, lemon juice, and one tbsp of melted ghee. Stir to combine. Place the cut chicken in a container, add the marinade paste, and stir to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hrs, preferably overnight.
5. Take chicken out of the fridge 1 hr before you start cooking. In a large pan, add 3 tbsp of ghee. Once heated, place in the curry leaves, followed in 30 seconds by the finely chopped red onions and salt.
6. Once onions are translucent, add the marinated chicken, stirring to combine with the onions. Add another 3 tbsp of ghee and stir again.
7. After 5 minutes, cover and cook on medium low-medium heat, occasionally stirring for about 10 minutes. At this stage, uncover and add the tamarind, jaggery, and remaining tbsp of ghee. Stir and cover again for 5 minutes.
8. Uncover, taste and adjust for salt. Continue cooking until ghee is released and appears on the surface and masala thickens.

Notes

• To reduce spiciness, add only 10 Byadgi chilies and reduce black peppercorn to 1 tbsp or less. Another option is to remove the seeds in the chilies before grinding.

Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran
Prop Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.