CAPSICUM CHICKEN

If I prepare this kind of meals, there are happier faces in our home. My labour in the kitchen gets half. Then I cannot give in to that, I never can forget my roots, not even at the cost of my comfort. Cooking desi meal is also a part of being strongly rooted to my homeland, I feel. The primitive self feels insecure if I do not cook Bengali / Indian recipes for two days in a row. Anyway, the teen at home forgot reading and writing Bengali, at least he should eat what we grew up eating. I am trying hard as long as it is possible. Nonetheless to say I also cook what they like quite often. This combination of Chicken with Capsicum and Burnt Garlic rice has been a hot favourite with my men. This Garlic tempered rice I tasted here in this island in a restaurant by the seaside. It is simple yet flavourful, just frying the cooked rice in burnt minced garlic adding some chopped green chillies, salt and black pepper powder. It pairs well with South East Asian preparations. A fan of Chinese and Thai Cuisine, I much love the number of sauces they use in their cooking. I do not have much of knowledge about the variety of sauces, neither do I have them all in my pantry. I prepare them with whatever ingredients I have in my kitchen and do not claim the authenticity. Let us do this simple and yummy recipe together.

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken [boneless] : 250-300 gm
Green Capsicum : 1medium sized
Red Chilli Padi : 2-3 [they are hot]
Yellow Bell Pepper : 1medium[I did not have, hence skipped]
Onion : 1 big sized
Garlic [minced] : 1tsp
Ginger [minced] : 1/2 tsp
Chilli Sauce : 2 tbsp
Cornflour : 1 tbsp
Salt : As required
Soy Sauce : 2 tbsp

Black Pepper Powder : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 4tsp

METHOD :

Wash and cut the chicken into cubes. Marinate with black pepper powder and salt as required for an hour. Coat with cornflour.

Wash and cut the capsicum and onion into cubes. Slit the red chillies. Marinate them with a little of salt.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the chicken pieces until light brown. Drain the excess of oil placing them onto tissue papers.

Add the minced ginger and garlic and stir at high heat. Add the onions and stir till translucent. Add the capsicum cubes and the slitted red chillies / chilli padi. Stir at high heat for a minute. Add the chicken.

Pour the chilli sauce and the residual corn flourin the bowl adding a little of water. I actually do not like much of the corn flour. Mix well and keep stirring at high heat for 2-3 minutes. It is done.

Serve hot with the Garlic tempered rice.