Serving tasty,
nutritious and diverse varieties of chicken on a daily basis is a difficult
task by itself! Difficult but not impossible. In a situation, where “no option”
is the only choice, ‘difficult’ is just another word and ‘impossible’ is a
state of mind only.
In the initial
years of my cooking I used to follow recipes from different sources, as my
personal knowledge in this field was limited. After spending over two decades
in the kitchen, I still cannot claim expertise, but I can to an extent aver
that I am adequately experienced in this field. And because of this vast
experience I do dare to follow my own recipes nowadays. The advantage of
following one’s own recipe is that one does not have to memorize the process as
whatever is created turns out to be original!
My today’s
chicken recipe is unique and exquisite and contains the goodness of corn. Long
time back I found this recipe in one of Neeta Mehta’s cookbooks in a bookstore
in an airport while travelling. So no way could I write it down. Later when I tried
it out, I really had to exercise my brain and on my very first attempt I actually
deviated from the original recipe to a large extent!
Serves: 6
Preparation
Time: ½ hour
Cooking Time:
20 minutes (approximately)
INGREDIENTS:
1. Chicken: 1
kg (small, cut into medium pieces)
2. Sweet corn:
1 cup
3. Onion: 1 large
finely chopped.
4. Ginger-garlic
paste: 2 tbsp
5. Bay leaves:
2
6. Garam
masala (cloves...3-4, cinnamon...2 small sticks, green cardamom...3-4)
7. Milk: ½ cup
8. Green chillies...
according to taste.
9. Coriander
leaves...
10. Oil: 5
tbsp
1. Curd: ½ cup
2. Red chilli
powder: 1 tsp
3. Corriander
powder: 1 tsp
4. Cumin
powder: ½ tsp
5. Turmeric
powder: ½ tsp
6. Salt: ½ tsp
METHOD:
1. Marinate
chicken in the above mentioned marinades for 1 hour.
2. Grind corn
with milk and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in
a wok. Add bay leaves, chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste and fry till oil
separates.
4. Add garam
masala. Fry for another 1-2 minutes.
5. Add
marinated chicken. Mix well. Cook it on high flame for 3-4 minutes.
6. Cover and
cook on medium heat till chicken is cooked. Add green chillies.
7. Add
corn-milk paste and cook on medium flame for few more minutes. Cover and cook
for another 5-6 minutes till the gravy thicken adequately.
8. Add
coriander leaves.
9. Serve with Rumali roti or Lachha parantha.
Authors Note:
1. Boneless
chicken can also be used.
2. When in a
hurry, I have often made this chicken without marinating. Though marinating
with curd makes it more succulent no doubt.
3. Adjust
flame of gas from medium to high with care as high flame leading to burning
will result in the change of color.
4. Fresh corn
can also be used though frankly speaking I have always used frozen one for
convenience.
5. When I skip
marinating, I grind corn with curd and later use less quantity of milk to
maintain the balance in taste.
So is the
recipe very complicated? I am sure it is not. It is a very flexible recipe as whichever
way you make this, it will taste yummy. On days when I feel lethargic and am in
no mood to spend hours in the kitchen, this recipe comes to my rescue. No other
side dish is required to supplement it. A bowl of fresh salad.... freshly made
roti or parantha and this unique yet simple chicken in corn paste will surely
treat your taste buds with requisite satisfaction! Happy cooking....😊
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