CHILLI TOMATO SAUCE CHICKEN

 

IT IS EITHER CHICKEN IN SAUCES OR BENGALI LIGHT CHICKEN CURRY OR A CHICKEN REZALA!

My preferences with regards to chicken underwent a sea change. Even a decade back, the Kolkata restaurants knew how I dunked pieces of butter garlic naan in a thick lehsuni murgh that had cream on top; and smiled! "Poritriptir Hashi" is what we call it; I do not believe in certain translations; a smile of immense satisfaction does not sound the exact expression to me! Moreover, I am poor with vocabulary! I remember, after landing here in this island, I cooked certain sea fish varieties like King Fish, Snappers; but all of a sudden they started smelling, even the freshest of the produce. I know its not about the quality but my inability to accept the fish varieties I have not grown up eating. Today, our focus is on CHICKEN as a FOOD INGREDIENT! Here, the NON-VEGETARIAN MEAT varieties do not attract me, neither of chicken or that of the mutton. Again, quality wise they may be superior, but that too soft chicken post cooking does not go with my taste bud! When I am in Kolkata, I do enjoy having chicken; honestly, I do not crave for it! But yes, Aminia's Chicken Rezala with Roomali Ruti and Oriental Chicken in any decent restaurant are what I would have. The Reshmi & Pahari Kebabs I craved for some 15-20 years back are no more my craze. Actually, I can do that at home, if not that perfect! The men enjoy their share of "ruti o kebab"; they can skip any gravy; more the senior. It is hard to believe I enjoyed Badshah's Chicken Roll once, cannot think of digesting it anymore! I would do at home once in a while. The mother was / is  deadly against two things, Moghlai Porota & Rolls of Kolkata, she thinks those two can get any amount of disaster to our stomach! I see, I cannot digest them anymore! To me, any paratha outside of a humble home has excess amount of oil!

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD - SHOULD NOT IT BE THE LIFELINE?

Its still my lifeline; only that after a decade of stay in this island; I prefer lighter food outside of home; a rice stew, a chicken or prawn soup, a Thai Style fish with some rice makes me happier and feel safer. The mother and brother's wife, the son loves! Actually the son and the man are versatile eaters but the brother is typically a Northern Indian / Mughlai Food lover, the father too was! If he has to have Western then it has to be meat bakes or grills. At home, I keep it simple. Like yesterday, I was not willing to step out of home; the man was playing one after another detective series in Hoichoi! I used all of the left over rice in the refrigerator and cooked a fried rice, had with egg drop curry; also cooked earlier!

Oh! I cooked my first egg-vanilla cake yesterday morning in air fryer; it was good but not perfect! I have to correct few things  before getting my first ever air fryer cake to the blog! Before I took a bite with my evening tea yesterday; I did keep two pieces in the man's snack box! Today, his lunch box had ruti-tarkari! Mondays he is coming home early, he goes for the routine covid taste! Today, he is done with both his food boxes, I am happy!

Yesterday night, we thought of ordering Pizza; then we had to finish off a quite stale salmon. To me it smells, I just manage to eat!

Today, I went for a walk, on my way back I could not resist having a Strawberry Smoothie; it was past 2 pm already! I had a very late lunch with self made ruti, torkari, homemade doi! Cristine cannot prepare ruti well!

I would still be having something with my hot cuppa now!

WHAT IS THIS CHILLI TOMATO SAUCE CHICKEN?

If we South Asians use a combinations of spice powders for our cooking; the South East & East Asians use a variety of sauces. And the West? May be different types of seasonings & sauces? This CHILLI TOMATO SAUCE CHICKEN is one of the quickest CHICKEN RECIPE I would say!I would not buy a variety of cooking sauces at one time. I cannot go without Bengali Cooking beyond a week, so buying the sauces one or two varieties at a time is wiser! Today too I stood clueless in front of the sauce rack! What to buy? Black Pepper or Suki or Oyster or Teriyaki! I am a predominant Bong; sauces & seasonings & dippings are good but "ada-jeerey bata lonka chera jhol" is my survival story! Once in a while, I do not mind cooking such a platter with stir fry young green beans, chicken tossed in a ready made sauce and plain rice! We definitely enjoyed the meal but it cannot be on our regular menu! Do you know I love the crunch of spring onions? I dedicate the platter to the two handymen who did some small repairs last Saturday, happily without throwing any tantrum. I cannot expect this in Bengal, this amount of professionalism. I am truly thankful to Mr. Razali Sanduan & Mr.Francis! They did a great job!

INGREDIENTS :

BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST CUBE : 300-400 GM

CHOPPED SPRING ONION : A SMALL BOWLFUL

CUBED ONION : 1 MEDIUM SIZED

MINCED GARLIC : 1 TBSP

MINCED GINGER : 1 TSP

SLICED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

LIGHT SOY SAUCE : 2 TBSP

CHILLI TOMATO SAUCE : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1/4 TSP

VINEGAR : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

We washed the chicken cubes well and marinated in little salt, black pepper & vinegar! We will keep it aside covered for an hour or little more!

We have chopped and washed the spring onion!

We minced the garlic, ginger; sliced the green chillies & cube the onion. Each of them was washed well!

We heated the oil in a wok; stir cooked the ginger and garlic mince until light brown!

We added the cubed onions & sliced chillies and stir fried for a minute or two! 

We added the chicken discarding the marinade and also the soy sauce!

After about 10-12 minutes of cooking at medium heat, the chicken cubes looked as below!

We added the chilli tomato sauce  and most of the spring onions leaving some for the garnish!

We stir cooked thereafter for 4-5 minutes at medium heat!

We must serve it hot and fresh to get the best taste. About the green beans; we just need to chop off their ends, wash and marinate with a little of salt! In little oil, we have to stir fry some minced garlic & ginger. Thereafter, we need to add the green beans; stir cook for 3-4 minutes; add the sauce; fold in and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. We should take down and serve it fresh & hot!