How to Cook Indian (44 page)

5. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the chicken and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and roll them in the bread crumbs, making sure they are well coated.

6. Put the remaining vegetable oil in a deep-fryer and heat to 375°F/190°C. Pick up 1 piece of crumb-coated chicken, dip it in the beaten eggs, and gently slide it into the hot oil. Deep-fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

7. Sprinkle with the
garam masala
and serve immediately.

Murgh Gilafi Tikka

Spiced grilled chicken in a yogurt sauce

Boneless chicken on skewers is always a hit—be it chicken
tikka, yakitori,
chicken satay, chicken shaslik, or chicken brochettes. But in my opinion
murgh gilafi tikka
beats those hands down because of the depth of flavors from the spices used. Once the
tikka
is cooked, it is simmered in a sauce before serving (unlike many other typical
tikka
preparations).

Serves 4.

4 (3½-ounce/100-gram) boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes

5 small red onions

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled

5 cloves garlic

3 or 4 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

¾ cup (200 grams) Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces

¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons (70 ml) vegetable oil, plus 2 tablespoons

6 to 8 whole cloves

2-inch (5-cm) cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves

5 or 6 green cardamom pods

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Soak 10 (6-inch/15-cm) wooden skewers in water.

2. Chop 3 of the onions and set aside for the sauce. Cut the remaining 2 into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes and separate the layers.

3. Put the ginger, garlic, chiles, and cilantro in a mini food processor with 2 tablespoons water, and process to a fine paste.

4. Put the chicken in a large bowl. Add the yogurt, the ground paste, chile powder, turmeric, and salt, and stir so that all the chicken pieces are well coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.

5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Add the
besan
to the reserved marinade and stir well. Set aside.

6. On each skewer, string an onion piece, chicken piece, tomato piece, and bell pepper piece.

7. Place a nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add ¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons (70 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, place the skewers in and cook for 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium and cook, turning, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skewers, and set aside.

8. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cardamom, and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Add the reserved marinade and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken and vegetables, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

9. Add the cream and stir gently. Serve hot.

Murgh Hazarvi

Rich and delicately flavored chicken kebabs

Chicken and cheese always taste good together. In India, yogurt is traditionally used for marinades, but here I have used cream, cheese, and egg. This appetizer is very popular in my restaurants.

Serves 4.

14 ounces (400 grams) boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes

2 tablespoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 tablespoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

¾ teaspoon table salt

½ cup (40 grams) cream cheese

4 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

¼ teaspoon ground mace

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 large egg

¾ cup (150 ml) heavy cream

Melted butter

1. Put the chicken in a large bowl. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, white pepper, and ½ teaspoon of the salt, and stir well so that all the chicken pieces are well coated.

2. Put the cream cheese in a large bowl. Add the chiles, mace, nutmeg, cilantro, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and stir well to make sure there are no lumps and all the ingredients are combined.

3. Add the egg and stir well. Add the chicken to the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream and stir gently.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 3 hours. While the chicken is marinating, soak the skewers in water.

5. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

6. String the chicken onto the wooden skewers and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until almost cooked through and lightly browned.

7. Brush with butter and cook for another 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the skewers and serve hot.

Murgh Neza Kabab

Baked chicken marinated in cream and spices

In this recipe from Hyderabad, a city in South India, the mixture of spices and herbs not only coats the drumsticks but also permeates deep into the meat so there’s lots of flavor in every bite.

Serves 4.

1½ pounds (700 grams) chicken leg quarters

2 tablespoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 tablespoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

2 teaspoons table salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

¼ teaspoon crushed
kasoori methi
(dried fenugreek leaves)

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon ground green cardamom

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup (100 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1 large egg

¼ cup (50 ml) heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1 large red onion, cut into rings

1 large tomato, sliced

1. Loosen the thighbone of each chicken leg quarter, but do not remove it fully.

2. Put the ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, white pepper,
garam masala, kasoori methi,
vinegar, cilantro, and cardamom in a large bowl, and stir well to combine. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

3. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to low, add the
besan,
and sauté until fragrant and lightly colored. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

4. Add the egg to the
besan
and whisk to make a smooth paste. Add the cream and whisk again.

5. Coat the chicken with this paste and set aside for 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

7. With a wooden skewer, skewer each chicken leg once along the drumstick bone and once through the thigh flesh. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Baste each leg quarter with ½ tablespoon of the butter. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until lightly colored and cooked through.

8. Remove the chicken from the skewers and place on a serving dish. Garnish with the lemon, onion, and tomato, and serve hot.

Naadan Kozhi Roast

Country-style chicken

Naadan
means “village,” and
kozhi
means “chicken”—and this is a typical rural dish from Kerala, a verdant state in the south of India laced with palm-lined backwaters and hills carpeted with spice farms. The air is fragrant and the food replete with rustic charm. This chicken dish is simple to make, and it’s a perfect example of everyday Keralan food.

Serves 4.

14 ounces (400 grams) boneless chicken, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes

2 tablespoons thick yogurt

2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

½ teaspoon red chile powder

1½ tablespoons rice flour

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon table salt

1 quart (800 ml) plus 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil

10 to 15 fresh curry leaves

10 shallots, peeled and halved

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, julienned

2 green chiles, stemmed and slit

6 to 8 black peppercorns, crushed

1. Clean the chicken cubes thoroughly under running water and drain well in a colander.

2. Put the yogurt in a large bowl. Add the garlic paste, chile powder, rice flour, turmeric, coriander, and salt, and whisk well.

3. Add the chicken and stir well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.

4. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium, slide in the chicken cubes, a few at a time, and fry, turning frequently with a slotted spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes or until well browned and just cooked through. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

5. Place another nonstick wok over medium heat and add 1½ tablespoons oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the curry leaves, shallots, ginger, chiles, and peppercorns. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.