Are you hosting anytime soon? Guest profile, good foodie friends? They do not much care for chicken and would much rather eat un-lean meat. I totally get this apathy towards chicken which makes me explore really good chicken recipes over and over again. This recipe I call “An Indian Chicken Roast”. My one time neighbour taught me this dish. The power packed flavours of dried fenugreek leaves elevates the roast making the eating of it a gastronomical treat. The first time I cooked it was when my artsy musician nephew was visiting Mumbai while he was playing the cello for the Bombay Orchestra. He said it was a treat indeed.
My food word for this recipe would be rich.
When you go out shopping look for:
Chicken drumsticks
Yogurt
Garlic
Ginger
Kasoori methi which is dried fenugreek leaves
Chilli powder
Turmeric powder
Coriander powder
Garam masala powder
Cumin powder
Cashew
Butter
Tomato
Cream
Coriander leaves
Khoya, optional
The recipe would be:
Take about four chicken drumsticks. Wash well. marinate with four tbsp thick curd, two tsp ginger-garlic paste, one tsp turmeric, one tsp red chilli powder, salt to season, two tsp kasoori methi, one tsp cumin powder, one tsp coriander powder and half tsp garam masala’powder. Use heap spoons for all of the above as a measure. Keep marinated for at least four hours or so.
In a bowl soak fifty gms cashew nuts for about thirty mins.
In a pan take ten gms butter and three tbsp oil. Warm. Now fry the leg pieces on both sides till they char.
Blanch two whole large tomatoes, cool. Grind the soaked cashew and blanched tomatoes together and make a paste.
Now in another pan, heat two tbsp oil. Warm and add one tsp full ginger-garlic paste. Fry till it starts to change its colour. Immediately pour in the tomato cashew paste and fry at medium heat for three mins. Next add two tbsp full ‘khoya’, you can procure it from an Indian sweet shop. I have made it often without this addition and it turns out pretty good too. Stir fry until the oil separates. In will go in one tsp red chilly powder, half tsp turmeric, one tsp cumin powder, one tsp coriander powder, one tsp garam masala powder and one tbsp kasoori methi. Use level tsp as a measure for this step. Also add salt to taste. Mix well and stir for two mins. Beat gently two tbsp cream on the side and pour it in. Next add about six tbsp hot water. When gravy is simmering slowly slide in the charred browned leg pieces. Cover with a lid and let it simmer. Check for a needle to pierce the meat. In about five mins the dish is ready. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Each succulent morsel with accompanying Indian bread is like walking through Red fort in Old Delhi. Giving you glimpses into rich tradition of royal times gone by.
