Today i am introducing a very authentic dish, named Thari chor. This is a speciality from the malabar region of the state of Kerala (India), named Thalassery. Many of you might be familiar with the famous Thalassery biryani. Thalassery takes pride in its rich cuisine, shaped through the years with the influence of Arab, French and Malabar culture.  

They have a wide variety of their signature dishes, which is one better than the other. I have a lot of relatives from this place and i must say they all are famous for their generous honoring and serving dishes for guests. I had stomach full of yummy thalassery goodies during my visit to Kerala this time, all thanks to my co-sister. 😊 

 This particular post is dedicated to my bestie’s cousin, my new friend, the very sweet Suneera Moosa. Thanks a loot dear for bringing this dish into my life😃. It was very sweet of her to call me one day when i was in Dubai. That was the first time we talked, but it felt like i knew her for years. In between the casual talks she mentioned about thari chor, she had made that day. Btw she is also from thalassery, so i knew this dish she was talking about would be A1. So i asked for the recipe and it was very kind of her to send me the detailed recipe through mail.  

 I had made this during Ramadan and my husband loved it soooo much. He asked me to make it again the very next day, so you can imagine how good it was. FYI, i am making this again tomorrow, Fadal’s request. 😄  

 My very good friend, Katheeja who is from Chennai (India), used to bring a prawn variety of this rava biryani during college times. It used to be finger licking good. We were a gang of 9 friends and we all used to jump on her tiffin when she had bought this. Hehe! Miss those days. Anyways, you all should try making this, im sure you will love it. 

Serves 3

Ingredients:

For the masala: 

• 300 gms boneless skinless chicken, cut into small pieces 
• 3-4 medium onions, chopped
• 2 Green chillies chopped 
• 1 big Tomato chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 1/2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• Salt to taste 

For upma:

• 1 1/4 cup rava/ semolina
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1-2 green chillies chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger chopped
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 1/4 cup boiled water
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp Ghee

For chicken marination:

• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil 

NOTES:

✔️ You can make this with prawns instead of chicken. 

✔️ Stir continuosly after the water has been added to the rava, otherwise the rava will form into lumps. 

Method: 

To make masala

1.   Marinate the chicken in the above mentioned ingredients and shallow fry it till cooked and light golden in colour. Cut the fried chicken further into smaller pieces if the pieces were big.   
2. In the same oil, sauté the onion till nicely browned and soft for 10-15 minutes.
3. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Stir for a minute. Add curry leaves. Add in tomatoes and sauté well till all tomatoes are mashed up. 
4. Add chilli, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powders and mix well. 
5. Pour 3/4th cup of water and let it simmer on medium low flame for 10 minutes or so till all the water dries up. Add salt. 
6. Add in fried chicken and cook with the lid on for few more minutes. Switch off flame. 

To make upma:

1.   Heat ghee in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds. 
2. Add in curry leaves, ginger, onions and green chillies and sauté well. 
3. Add in the rava, stir well.
4. Pour in boiling water and add salt. Stir continuosly. When rava is well incorporated into the water, add in the chicken masala and mix well. Close the lid and cook further on very low flame for 4-5 minutes. 
5. Serve hot. 

There Chor/ Semolina Biryani

A delicious biryani made with semolina.

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Servings 3

Ingredients

  

INGREDIENTS

For the masala

• 300 gms boneless skinless chicken cut into small pieces
• 3-4 medium onions chopped
• 2 Green chillies chopped
• 1 big Tomato chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 1/2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• Salt to taste

For upma

• 1 1/4 cup rava/ semolina
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1-2 green chillies chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger chopped
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 1/4 cup boiled water
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp Ghee

For chicken marination

• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil

Instructions

 

DIRECTIONS

• To make masala
• Marinate the chicken in the above mentioned ingredients and shallow fry it till cooked and light golden in colour. Cut the fried chicken further into smaller pieces if the pieces were big.
• In the same oil, sauté the onion till nicely browned and soft for 10-15 minutes.
• Add in the ginger garlic paste. Stir for a minute. Add curry leaves. Add in tomatoes and sauté well till all tomatoes are mashed up.
• Add chilli, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powders and mix well.
• Pour 3/4th cup of water and let it simmer on medium low flame for 10 minutes or so till all the water dries up. Add salt.
• Add in fried chicken and cook with the lid on for few more minutes. Switch off flame.

To make upma

• Heat ghee in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
• Add in curry leaves, ginger, onions and green chillies and sauté well.
• Add in the rava, stir well.
• Pour in boiling water and add salt. Stir continuosly. When rava is well incorporated into the water, add in the chicken masala and mix well. Close the lid and cook further on very low flame for 4-5 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Notes

NOTES:
* You can make this with prawns instead of chicken.
* Stir continuosly after the water has been added to the rava, otherwise the rava will form into lumps.