Chicken Varatharachathu Nadan

Description

Chicken Varatharachathu is a traditional Kerala-style chicken curry made with freshly ground roasted coconut and spices. The name literally means “roasted and ground,” referring to the signature technique used to prepare the curry base. Popular across central and southern Kerala, this dish is rich, dark, and full of earthy flavor.

Bone-in chicken is cooked in a gravy made from roasted coconut, fennel seeds, coriander, dry red chilies, and shallots, which are ground into a thick, aromatic paste. The curry is further seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and coconut oil, lending it an unmistakably Kerala character. The result is a bold, well-rounded dish with deep color and slow-cooked complexity.

Often served with appam, idiyappam, or Kerala matta rice, Chicken Varatharachathu is a Sunday special in homes across Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam, and remains a nostalgic favorite among Malayali families in Mississauga, Scarborough, and Brampton.