How to Cook Indian (91 page)

8. Add the marinated chicken and cook, stirring, for 7 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir once, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

9. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Bhavnagri
mirchi chiles are large, plump chiles, 4 to 4½ inches long, that are not very spicy. They are ideal for stuffing. You can use Anaheim chiles as a substitute.

Kadai Chicken

Spicy chicken cooked in a wok

Kadai
is Hindi for “wok,” and I remember that my mother had quite a collection of them in various metals–iron and brass especially. This chicken is ideally cooked in an iron wok, which lends its color to the dish, but these are rare in modern kitchens, and a nonstick wok works just fine here.

Serves 4.

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

8 whole black peppercorns

5 dried red chiles, stemmed

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large red onions, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

5 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons table salt

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 12 pieces

¼ cup cashew paste (page 12)

¼ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. After 2 minutes, add the cumin, coriander, peppercorns, and red chiles, and dry-roast for 3 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a mortar and pound to a coarse powder with a pestle.

2. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the onions and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, and green chiles, and sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes and salt, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the roasted spice powder and sauté for 1 minute.

4. Add the chicken and stir. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the cashew paste and ½ cup (100 ml) water. Cook for 3 minutes.

5. Add the
garam masala
and stir. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

Kairi Murgh

Tart green mango and chicken

I have tried making this with boneless chicken, but the look of the dish and its flavor are much more appealing with bone-in chicken.

This dish uses a unique method to impart the taste of outdoor charcoal grilling to the chicken: a red-hot piece of charcoal doused with ghee and cloves is placed in a bowl along with the chicken.

Serves 4.

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 12 pieces

2 medium green mangoes

1½ teaspoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1½ teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1½ teaspoons green chile paste (page 13)

1 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

4 or 5 whole cloves

1 teaspoon ghee (page 37), melted

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium red onions, sliced

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Trim the excess fat from the chicken and put the pieces in a large bowl.

2. Peel and cut the mangoes into small pieces. Place half of them in a food processor and process to a purée. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Set the remaining mango pieces aside.

3. To the chicken, add ¾ teaspoon of the ginger paste, ¾ teaspoon of the garlic paste, ¾ teaspoon of the chile paste, ½ teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the
garam masala,
and the mango purée, and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.

4. Hold a natural charcoal piece with kitchen tongs directly over a gas flame. When it is red hot, put it in a small stainless-steel bowl and place the bowl in the center of the marinated chicken pieces. Put the cloves on the coal, pour the ghee on it, and immediately cover the bowl with a lid. Let stand for 10 minutes so that the flavor of the coal and cloves are absorbed by the chicken.

5. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon ginger paste, ¾ teaspoon garlic paste, and ¾ teaspoon chile paste, and sauté for 2 minutes.

6. Add the chicken, turmeric, chile powder, coriander, remaining 1 teaspoon
garam masala,
and ½ teaspoon salt, and the reserved mango pieces. Stir well to coat.

7. Increase the heat to high and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cilantro and ¾ cup (150 ml) water. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

8. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

Kheema Bhari Hari Mirch

Green chiles stuffed with spiced ground chicken

The traditional version of the recipe, from the South Indian city of Hyderabad, uses ground goat, but here I use chicken, which is healthier.

Serves 4.

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 large red onions, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

2 green chiles, stemmed and slit

2 tablespoons red chile paste (see Note page 13)

3 medium tomatoes, puréed

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground coriander

14 ounces (400 grams) ground chicken

1½ teaspoons table salt

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

12
bhavnagri mirchi
(large green chiles; see page 418)

1. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the cumin seeds and sauté until they change color. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, green chiles, and red chile paste, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric and coriander, and sauté for 1 minute.

3. Add the chicken and 2 tablespoons water, and cook for 8 minutes. Add the salt and
garam masala,
and stir well. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

4. Slit the
bhavnagri
chiles on one side and remove the seeds and the white pith, keeping the stem intact.

5. Stuff the chicken mixture into the chiles.

6. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the stuffed chiles and any leftover ground chicken mixture. Cover and cook for 8 minutes.

7. Serve hot.

Kori Ajadina

Chicken with fresh coconut

Centuries ago, a group of Roman Catholics fled Portugal and settled in Mangalore along the western coast of India. They adopted the local cuisine and created a fusion of Portuguese and traditional Mangalorian styles. Mangalore Catholic cuisine has chicken and pork specialties as well as an array of chutneys, including dried-prawn chutney and
brinjal
chutney. Their chicken curry
kori gassi
(page 424) is famous, and so is this dry preparation.

Serves 4.

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 12 pieces

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1½ teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

4 or 5 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

10 fresh curry leaves

2 medium red onions, chopped

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

5 or 6 cloves garlic, chopped

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup (120 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

For the masala powder: