I TOLD YOU ORIENTAL SAUCY CHICKEN IS MY ULTIMATE!
Do I keep saying that my parents never took us out for fine dining? So, my / our first introduction to a CHILLI CHICKEN was the Bengali Caterer's version! Nonetheless to say, it was a horrible experience!Not all households would have the capability to book the Bijoli Grill Caterers or the Diamond Caterers or the Gupta Caterers.We were middle class Bengalis and went to invitations at middle class homes where the caterers would be local, naturally!All of a sudden, the Bengali household wanted a revolution in the food menu and ended up in a "jogakhichuri" combination; chilli chicken, fried rice, fish butter fry, shahi paneer, roshomalai, ice-cream kind of menu!Particularly, the chilli chicken was coated heavily with mixed flour.For many years,I knew the Orientals coat their chicken this way until I had it in Bar-B-Q, Park Street!I loved their Tutti-Fruitti too!I still remember their smiley faced, red moustached floor manager, later he became the manager of the restaurant perhaps!
I LEARNT TO MAKE A DECENT CHILLI CHICKEN!
Post Bar-B-Q, we ventured to the Tangra Restaurants, also Tung Fong and Mainland China several times, we loved their food!We love the very authentic Oriental here too, although T say's this island's food is still different from East Asia!Post marriage, the two dishes I learnt to cook first were a matar paneer with lots of tomato sauce and a chilli chicken with less coating of a flour mix!I hardly did cook for my own parents, but my in-laws enjoyed having this chilli-chicken with ruti / chapati / roti / flat bread! It was good to have but it was kind of a funny affair to me!These days I see,Bengalis of West Bengal indeed eat "ruti o chilli chicken"!So, the thing is I had learnt to make this homely MEAT RECIPE; ORIENTAL STYLE with kitchen staples in the mid 90's!
WHAT IS BENGALI CHILLI CHICKEN?
I am not clear where this recipe emerged from in the KOLKATA / BENGALI HOMES.I insist very few of the middle class Bengalis knew the concept of fine dining!Moreover, the mother that we have would not travel in a 202 number bus to the notorious Park Circus area with her kids to have chilli chicken, neither our father would hire a taxi to take us for fine dining!Amazingly, he was used to all these in his pre-marriage days in Kolkata!Post my class-10, I ventured out to various eateries with our mother, never to eat a CHILLI CHICKEN!She loves her share of noodles, mostly soupy noodles with chicken & prawns, or either of the one!Later in life, we did take her out for these!She is so fond of hot soups that Bidisha makes them for her.Her son & husband who are not so fond of Oriental food, would prefer a "chilli chicken o ruti"but!My son, our baby loves meat, in soupy noodles to mumma made Oriental chicken to a plain Bengali curry! What does he likes more between chicken & mutton; I could never make out; perhaps chicken!With so much of love around for a homely Oriental chicken, here is my version of the BENGALI CHILLI CHICKEN, a NON-VEGETARIAN MEAT DISH done with very few ingredients! T used to love soupy noodles & American Chopsuey in his 20's, these days he is into Japanese & Western selective food and off course Black Pepper Crab!I so wish to chat with baby if he has developed a liking for crab, if he is able to afford a crab or salmon meal once a month!I so wish to treat him with mumma cooked food, honestly!He is not telling us if he and his friends have started cooking or not, if they have, this RECIPE is a game for them!Well, the paneer salad you all see is complementing the platter and T had it too!This morning, I cooked noodles for the lunch box and for Cristine & my lunch!
I walked to the RKM today, so sad to know we will not be allowed to the venue but can only view online! The mornings of the Pooja week, I like to spend there!There are other pooja happening here, this year we may go for a short while, although we are getting some death news recently!
INGREDIENTS :
BONELESS CHICKEN : 350-400 GM
CUBED ONION : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED SPRING ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
MINCED GARLIC : 1 TBSP
MINCED GINGER : 1 TSP
LIGHT SOY SAUCE : 1 TBSP + 2 TSP
CHILLI SAUCE : 1 TBSP [I USED CHING'S]
SESAME OIL : 1 TSP
VINEGAR : 2 TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP
CORN FLOUR : 1 TO 11/2 TBSP
OIL : 5-6 tbsp
PROCEDURE :
I had cut the boneless chicken into strips and washed well!
I marinated it with 2tbsp of light soy sauce, vinegar, crushed black pepper & a little of salt!
Meanwhile,I cubed, chopped, slitted, minced the required vegetables and washed them for use.
I drained off the marinade before adding the corn flour to it and mixed well.
Remember, we will not add any salt at this stage!
We will add the cubed onion & slitted green chillies, soy sauce & chilli sauce, just a bit of salt!
I stir cooked for 2 minutes.
I forgot to click the last step!
We had it with got chapatis; yes, Bengal likes it!
We occasionally go to the restaurants for eating the Turkish foods but not often. We always prefer homemade foods to restaurants foods. Bengali chilli chicken recipe looks so healthy! So far i haven't tried sesame oil to any dish. I think you used it instead of the oil (sunflower oil or olive oil). I would like to try this recipe. Thanks.
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