CHICKEN WITH KULAMBU SPICE MIX

LIGHT CHICKEN CURRIES; MY EASY KITCHEN SOLUTIONS!

I think the rest in my family can have chicken, or say meat curries every day, at every meal.I did not allow this ever, right from the beginning I had put a curb on their wish. I have always maintained; rather pledged to them that a balanced & nutritious meal, at least five days a week do we require!My cooking chores would have been minimalist if I cooked the way my immediate family wished for, but I could not.I plan each meal this way; a non-vegetarian dish, a vegetarian dish, a dal at least! Some days there would be pakoras / fritters; if I can add a chutney to it, then a Bengali regular meal platter is complete! Only I love chutney in our home; fritters we all love but it is such a high caloric & unhealthy food that we fear to have it regular! Our today's lunch is this chicken kulambu curry, dal & cauliflower pakoras! It is the kind of platter we love to the core, I will have it and miss our child at the same time. If only he understood how we are missing him and behaved normal with us!You love something does not mean you have the liberty to have it. So, a less spiced mixed vegetable dish is a must have on a regular basis, fritters can be had occasionally! I have my fritters oil-free made in an air frier or in the oven; they are nice but won't be as tasty as the deep fried ones!

ITS TIME I TAKE A BREAK FROM COUNTRY CHICKEN!

My teeth are paining! Pressure Cooker is not much in use in my kitchen.Country Chicken requires more time to cook!Last Saturday, this COUNTRY CHICKEN CURRY using KULAMBU SPICE MIX perhaps required more of cooking! Today, is the second time we are having it, I found it slightly hard while the rest at home are fine with it! Actually, two of my molar teeth need extraction and I am scaring to go for it, although the sugar level is okay!All these stuffs I do in Kolkata & how I am stuck!Wisdom has nothing to do with me, the dentists think I do not require the wisdom teeth either, they must go!My fear is what is next? Would I be able to chew food thereafter? What if there are post extraction complications?This is not Kolkata, any complication means thousands of dollars, not every treatment cost is covered by insurance! This kind of thoughts are not welcome in my head! I only wish to think of food, music, beautiful locations, good movies and again food!I forgot to mention one more favourite thing of mine, lie down and doze off! At this time, I am wanting that after having QUINOA WITH CHICKEN CURRY!

WHAT IS THIS CHICKEN WITH KULAMBU SPICE MIX?

KULAMBU SPICE MIX is a chilli based mixed spice powder with a multipurpose use in the kitchen. I did not know about it until the last month!I was searching the spice racks in the Mustafa Centre for something else when a packet of this spice mixture came to my notice. I took it without much of a thought to use it on the day of Janmashtami! It really matched my taste bud! Okay, I have to use it in less quantity as the rest in the family think I am too generous with the amount of spices in a dish! I dislike bland food!So,CHICKEN WITH KULAMBU SPICE MIX in my home is a casually made NON-VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN-FREE chicken curry using whole PEPPERCORNS, SHALLOTS, GARLIC CLOVES, KULAMBU SPICE MIX & few other things.Let us do it!

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : A KILOGRAM

KULAMBU SPICE MIX : 11/2 TBSP [I USED STORE BOUGHT, THE INTERNET HAS MANY RECIPES OF IT]

TOMATO : 1 BIG

GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

SHALLOT : 8-10

GARLIC CLOVE : 7-8

GINGER PASTE : 2 TBSP

BAY LEAF : 1 OR 2

BLACK PEPPERCORN : 1/2 TSP

DRY RED CHILLI : 3-4

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 2-3 TBSP

TAMARIND EXTRACT : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 3-4 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Peel & wash the shallots, garlic cloves.

Wash the chicken pieces too! Add the shallots & the garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, half of the turmeric powder & red chilli powder!

Keep aside for an hour or more.

Soak the tamarind in some water!

After an hour, heat the oil in a wok & temper with the bay leaf, dry red chillies, black pepper corns.

Give a stir & add the ginger paste, rest of the turmeric powder, little salt!

Stir fry at low heat for a minute or two. Add the kulambu spice mixture and quick stir for 1/2 a minute in minimal heat!

Add the marinated chicken; wash & cut & the tomato, add to the wok!

Stir cook for 2-3 minutes and cover with a lid!

Once it has cooked for 10 minutes in minimal heat, open the lid & check!

Stir cook for 5 minutes and let cook in minimal heat for 7-8 minutes!

Add 3 coffee mugs of warm water, washed & slitted green chillies; give a stir and cook covered in minimal heat for 20-22 minutes!

Remove the cover, strain & add the tamarind extract! Stir and let cook for another 5-6 minutes!

It goes best with plain rice!