Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast
During my college days, I used to frequent this restaurant named Maharaja– located opposite Goldfinch Hotel, Jyothi Circle, Mangalore. They serve (by far) the best chicken thali in town and I for one have been addicted to it for a decade now. During one such visit, I decided to order something along with the thali and that is How I Met Chicken Ghee Roast! Ever since, every time I visit this coastal-city, I ensure to visit Maharaja for the thali and the chicken ghee roast. If at all my friends go to Mangalore, I pester them into getting 2-3 dabbas of chicken ghee roast for me.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Chicken
- 20 Kashmiri Red Chillies (deseeded)
- 7-8 Byadgi Chillies (deseeded)
- 1/4 cup vinegar + 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 tsp Methi seeds (careful, otherwise it could turn bitter)
- 1 tbs Coriander seeds
- 12 peppercorns
- Curry leaves
- 1 tsp whole cumin
- 2-3 tbs Ghee
- Cooking oil
- Salt to taste
For the marinating the chicken, you need
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbs Yoghurt
- 1 tsp Salt
Preparation
- First, you will have to soak the Kashmiri Chillies overnight in the vinegar-water solution.
- Marinate the chicken with turmeric, lemon juice, yoghurt and salt and set it aside for 2 hrs. (the longer the better)
To prepare the paste,
- Roast the Byadgi chillies, Coriander seeds, Peppercorns, Methi seeds and cumin in a pan on low flame. (continue sautéing to ensure the spices are not burnt)
- In 5-10 mins you should be able to breath the aroma of the spices.
- Transfer the roasted spices to a food processor/mixer followed by the vinegar-soaked Kashmiri Chillies (do not add all of the vinegar solution)
- Process all the ingredients into a fine paste.
Final Phase
- Use a non-stick Kadai and add 2 tbs cooking oil.
- Throw in the curry leaves and let it crackle.
- Now, add the paste, some salt and let it cook in low flame. (continue to sauté every now and then until the pungency of the chillies are no longer overwhelming)
*** Don’t let the paste dry-up; if needed, add the remaining vinegar-water solution in small quantities ***
- Introduce the chicken into the Kadai and use the concept of folding the masala into the chicken. (Google it)
- Add 1/2 of the ghee (based on the quantity)- in this case 1 tbs.
- Let it cook with the lid on.
- When the chicken is half-done, add the rest of the ghee and contiue to cook without the lid.
- Cook until the chicken is soft and there you have it !
“Feel free to post your queries/comments below”
