This chilli chicken dish is simple yet skilled; it is hot but doesn’t burn, and it is tasty but not overly spiced. So much intricacy in this dish!
Mysore chilli chicken dish
So, let’s get started and first make the masala:
Masala (marinade)
9 long dried red chilies (you can use either the Bedgi chilli from Mangalore or its similar Kashmiri chilli. If you use Kashmir add 1.5 tsp hot chilli powder)
8- 10 Tellicherry peppercorns
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6 cloves
I medium-sized cassia bark
2 1/2-inch pieces of ginger
For the sauce aka ‘kari’
2 1/2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
2 1/2 large onions, finely chopped
10 fresh curry leaves
Salt, to taste
2 medium-size tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp of lemon juice, to serve
‘kari’ ingredients, clockwise from left to right: vegetable oil, fresh curry leaves, chopped onions, remaining ground marinade & chopped tomatoes
Method:
1. Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces, drain till dry.
2. Grind all the masala ingredients to a fine paste, adding a little warm water.
all the marinade ingredients before being ground
ground marinade
3. Keep half the marinade (masala) aside for the sauce.
4. Marinate the chicken pieces in the remaining masala and set aside for 4 hours in the refrigerator.
marinating the chicken
marinated chicken
cook till it starts to turn light golden brown
add the remaining marinade
different stages of chicken cooking – just starting to change colour
stir occasionally for even cooking & cook till the chicken is fully cooked
drain on a paper towel
top with crisp-fried curry leaves
And before I sign off, here are a few tips to remember when cooking this dish:
1. To get a bright color from the chillies (if Bediga or Kashmiri chillies are not available), soak them in warm water, do not split them. This allows the chilli to soak in the moisture and concentrates the colors. Discard the water and grind.
2. Tellicherry pepper is the best in the world and has a very strong aroma!
3. Braising the chicken and letting it rest in the juices lets the meat to tenderise , then when you fry it, the outside is crisp and the inside is still moist. The Chinese call it ‘twice cooked’.
4. Once the chicken is fried it may be added to the sauce, or alternately served separately (as I did) on top of the rice along with the kari.
Well, as for me, I would like to have the lot with no rice and no kari, just a glass (or two) of my favourite Mornington Peninsula Nazaaray Shiraz!!! You can have the rice and. . .
Anah Daata Suki Bhava!!