Koli (Chicken) Saaru (runny curry)- Karnataka style

Name: Koli (Chicken) Saaru (runny curry)- Karnataka style
Total time: 2100 s
Yield: 2-3 people
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 309 gms chicken on bones; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 sprig coriander leaves; 1 sprig mint leaves; 1 large onion; 1 large tomato; 4-5 green chillies; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp whole black pepper corns; 2-3 green cardamoms; 1 ” cinnamon stick; 2-3 cloves; 1 ” ginger; 4-5 garlic cloves; 5-6 Tbsp oil; 1 medium onion chopped fine; 1/8 tsp salt; 1 cup hot water; 1 cup ragi flour; 1/2 tsp ghee; 1 tsp salt; 1.75 cup water; 1 tsp oil to smear

Madhumita Bishnu @Madhubish27

Kolkata

#CA2025
Koli Saaru or Chicken runny curry is a very popular curry from coastal region of Karnataka state. Koli means Chicken and Saaru is runny curry. This curry goes best with Ragi Mude or Jowar Roti.

Coastal Karnataka state is very rich in culinary history and Koli Saaru is a very popular cuisine which one must make and enjoy. It’s not a very spicy curry yet full of flavour

Madhumita Bishnu @Madhubish27

Kolkata

Coastal Karnataka state is very rich in culinary history and Koli Saaru is a very popular cuisine which one must make and enjoy. It’s not a very spicy curry yet full of flavour

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Ingredients

Prep time -10 mins, Cooking -25 mins

2-3 people

Chicken marination
309 gmschicken on bones
1 tspturmeric powder
1 tspsalt
Paste
1 sprigcoriander leaves
1 sprigmint leaves
1large onion
1large tomato
4-5green chillies
1 tspcumin seeds
1 tspfennel seeds
1 tspwhole black pepper corns
2-3green cardamoms
1” cinnamon stick
2-3cloves
1” ginger
4-5garlic cloves
Cooking in pressure cooker
5-6 Tbspoil
1medium onion chopped fine
1/8 tspsalt
1 cuphot water
Garnish with dry fenugreek leaves, chopped coriander leaves
Serve with Ragi Mude
Ragi Mude
1 cupragi flour
1/2 tspghee
1 tspsalt
1.75 cupwater
1 tspoil to smear

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Steps

Prep time -10 mins, Cooking -25 mins

1

Chicken marination - in a bowl add washed chicken, add turmeric powder and salt and marinate for 10 mins
2

Paste - In a blender add chopped onion.m, tomato, green chiliies, coriander leaves, mint leaves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, whole black pepper corns, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, ginger, garlic and adding 3 Tbsp water make a paste, set aside
3

Make a paste
4

In a pressure cooker add oil, heat and add chopped onions, cook to make it translucent and add chicken, stir for 5 mins
5

Add chicken and stir for 5 mins
6

Add paste and stir on high heat for 1 min, low heat stir for 3 mins, until oil surfaces
7

Add hot water and salt and stir once, close the pressure cooker lid and on high heat cook for 1 whistle and low heat cook for 1 whistle, set aside to depressurise
8

Garnish with dry fenugreek leaves, chopped coriander
9

Ragi Mude - in a pan add 2 Tbsp ragi flour and 1/4 cup water and stir well, add to a pan and add salt and ghee, add 1 cup ragi flour, stir
10

Bring it to heat and let it bubble, stir and cover for 2 min in sim, add to a oil smeared plate, make balls
11

Ragi Mude is ready to be served
12

Plate with Koli Saaru and enjoy 😊

Tips

For Koli Saaru - the chicken in pressure cooker should be first cooked in high heat and then reduced to low heat
For Ragi Mude - smearing the plate with oil to make Mude is important while it is still warm

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Cooksnaps

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Madhumita Bishnu @Madhubish27

on September 21, 2025 05:38

Kolkata

I’m a Home Chef and love cooking different recipes from all across the world. I enjoy sharing and learning from foodies like me. Follow me on my blog madhubish27.com and IG @madhubishskitchen, @madhubish. Thank you