DAHIWALI CHICKEN

                                                                                   

This island city is getting hotter every day, with scarce rainfall. Weather forecast says this will remain for the next three months. Being selective about food, keeping it less spicy is required. If I prescribe light fish curries and less chicken in such a scenario, our son would stop eating. A mother cannot accept this. Hence, I thought if chicken is to be prepared regular at home, it has to be made in such a way that it does not become taxing on our stomach. 

It is not the chicken that is harmful, it is the spices used which brings trouble. Lean meat is good for our body, the reason why I do not quit chicken though I do not love it much! After stepping in here, I have got flexible and accepted that curries other than red and spicy ones can be equally tasty. Healthy ways of cooking chicken are grilling, baking, less spicy light curries! 

We were having a variety of fish curries for the past 3-4 days followed by an all vegetarian day on Saturday because of Vasant Panchami / Saraswati Puja. Before someone started to revolt, mamma felt Sunday menu should have a chicken item. This Chicken Curry is done only with plain yogurt & few spices. Although I have added some amount of water to the curry towards the end, this dish tastes best without the addition of water, allowing to cook it in the yogurt mix! For that, use 200-250gm of plain yogurt for every 500gm of chicken!

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken : 1 kg
Plain Yogurt : 250-300 gm
Garlic Paste : 2 tbsp

Ginger Paste : 2 tsp

Green Chilli Paste : 1 tbsp
Sliced Onion : 1 medium tea cup
White Pepper Corn : 1 tsp
Black Pepper Corn : 8-10
Bayleaf : 1

Dried Red Chilli : 3-4
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Salt : As Required

Sugar : 1 tsp

Lemon Juice : 2-3 tbsp
Oil : 3-4 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash, marinate the chicken with a spice mix blending together plain yogurt, white pepper corns, green chillies, salt, turmeric, ginger & garlic pastes! Keep covered for 2 hours. 

Peel, wash, slice onions. Heat oil in wok, temper with  bayleaves, dry red chillies and black pepper corns. Add the sliced onions, fry until brown & crisp!

Add the marinated chicken with the marinade. Fry at medium to high heat for 3-5 minutes stirring continuously. Now lower the heat to minimal, cover. We have to remove cover, stir every 4-5 minutes to avoid sticking.

After half an hour of cooking, the yogurt would release water, you may not require to add water. I added a coffee mug of water, slitted green chillies, sugar, lemon juice, cooked for another 10 minutes at low heat, uncovered!

Served with flatbreads, it  tasted great! A salad has to be there on the side!