Chicken Xacuti (Goa-Influenced Konkan Curry)

Name: Chicken Xacuti
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 73 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 700 g chicken (bone-in curry cut); 3 tbsp coconut oil; 2 large onions (200 g), finely sliced; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 5 kokum petals, soaked; 1 tsp salt; 200 ml water; ½ cup dry coconut (kopra), roasted very dark golden; 2 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus), soaked in warm water 30 min; 6 dry Kashmiri red chillies, soaked; 2 dry Bedgi chillies, soaked; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin; 5 black peppercorns; 4 cloves; 2 green cardamom; 1 × 2 cm cinnamon; 2 star anise (key flavour in xacuti); 1 tsp fennel seeds; ½ tsp nutmeg powder (a pinch only); 3 dry bay leaves; ½ tsp turmeric; Star anise is the single most important ingredient in xacuti — its liquorice-warm aroma defines the masala; Poppy seeds soaked until fully soft create the thick, cream-coloured body that is xacuti's characteristic texture; This dish is aromatic and complex, not fiery — the chilli level is moderate; the star anise and fennel carry the character

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Hard

A deeply complex Goan-influenced chicken curry from the Konkan-Goa border region — using a masala of roasted dry coconut, poppy seeds, star anise, and dried Kashmiri chillies. More aromatic and richer than standard Malvani preparations; the poppy seeds give the gravy a characteristic thick, creamy body.

⏱️30 minPrep

🔥43 minCook

🕒73 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Chicken Xacuti

Make xacuti masala (Heat: medium-low): Dry-roast kopra dark. Roast all whole spices 2–3 minutes. Cool. Blend with soaked poppy seeds and soaked chillies + minimum water into a smooth paste. The soaked poppy seeds make the paste thick and cream-coloured internally.
Marinate chicken (No heat): Coat chicken with 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp salt. Rest 30 minutes.
Fry base (Heat: medium-high): Heat coconut oil. Fry sliced onions 14 minutes until deep golden. Add remaining ginger-garlic paste — fry 2 minutes.
Add xacuti masala (Heat: medium): Add masala paste. Fry on medium for 8–10 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until oil surfaces and the star anise and poppy seed aromas are deeply fragrant.
Finish: Uncover last 8 minutes to reduce to a thick, coating gravy. Taste — xacuti should be rich, aromatic (star anise prominent), mildly spiced, with the poppy-coconut body. Garnish with coriander.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 475 kcal | 39 g | 11 g | 30 g | 3 g | Xacuti is one of Goa's great curries — created by the Catholic Goan community but widely shared with neighbouring Konkan Maharashtra. The strip of coast between Vengurla (Maharashtra) and Goa is home to a hybrid cuisine where Malvani masala and Goan masala have blended over centuries. Maharashtra's Catholic families in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts make xacuti for Christmas dinners — the star anise and nutmeg give it a particularly festive warmth. ---

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