Passport & Plate - Chicken Masala
India | Saturday, February 28, 2015 | 5 photos
Ingredients
1 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into large chunks
3 tbsp oil (he used canola but olive, or coconut oil could be used instead)
;4 cloves garlic
;1 tbsp fresh ginger
1-3 green chilies (to your spiceyness liking)
2 tomatoes diced
1 red onion diced
;1 cup boiling water
1 tsp chili powder
1 bay leaf
;1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric powder
;1 tsp crushed cardamom
2 tbsp yogurt
;How to prepare this recipe;
Heat a wok or pan to medium high, add the oil and toss in the bay leaf, cinnamon and black peppercorns. We then chopped the onions and tomatoes and added the onions to the walk. We cooked these for a while on high, stirring occasionally until the onions were a nice brown colour, about 10 minutes.Bekh Lal then did a quick chop on the garlic, green chilies and ginger, after that he used a wooden block to smash them all into a paste, releasing the flavours and juices like I’ve never seen. This made me want to run to the store to get a wooden block, but after thinking about it anything could be used to do this, a glass, a rolling pin, or a bottle. We then added the paste to the onions, mixed it around for a couple minutes until you smell the garlic, scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure to get all the good stuff. Meanwhile boil a cup of water then add it to the onion mixture.Next add the chicken pieces, diced tomatoes and the rest of the spices. Cover and let this sit a while, over 15 minutes. Bek Lal really emphasized “No Gravy!” meaning all the water should evaporate and it will turn into a paste rather than a sauce. We kept this covered on a simmer, stirring occasionally for over 30 minutes while we finished up the other dishes. The longer this sits the better, add the yogurt, then you’re done! Top with cilantro and serve with rice, naan bread, or chapati – which I will have in recipes to come!
The story behind this recipe;What better place to experience some authentic spicy food culture than India? A week in and I have been enjoying the potent aromas and tastes of spices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yesterday for breakfast we had Masala Bread, which is a blend of spices, and coriander fried with pieces of bread. It was like having an Indian stuffing. Nothing like an explosion of flavours to wake you up in the morning;I have the pleasure of staying in a family apartment in New Delhi, where we have a fabulous cook to make us meals whenever we are hungry. His name is Bekh Lal, and although he doesn’t speak too much English he is the sweetest man I’ve met in India. With the help of family friends I had asked if I could watch him cook and write about it in my food blog. He seemed bashful about this request, bobbled his head in an Indian manner, smiled and said it was ok.We had decided on three dishes he could prepare for the following night. Advance notice was needed so he could go to the local market to get all the ingredients fresh, this even included the live chicken that was prepared that day, doesn’t get fresher than that. Chicken Masala was our meat dish, Shrimp curry for seafood, and an onion and Okra curry for vegetarian.;Bekh Lal summoned me to the kitchen when he was getting ready to prepare the Chicken Masala. He said “Come, come!” slapped the little wooden stool by the counter directing me to take a seat. I was his apprentice, and maybe it was the Kingfisher beer, but I couldn’t help smiling watching him prepare the meal. Clearly this was second nature for Bekh Lal, and he was as passionate for cooking as I was. I really enjoyed learning from Bek Lal, and I think he enjoyed my company too :) No recipes or measurements were used, but with my notes and pictures here is what I gathered to make the Chicken Masala from Bekh Lal!
