From the land of AWADH another masterpiece creation by the Bawarchis and the Rakabdars with subtle flavor of aromatic herbs and the mouth feel of juicy chicken, enhanced with charcoal smoke, all these characteristic features make this, a premium dish in the culinary world. Friends , Make this classic dish of your own and feel the rhythm of the Awadhi Cuisine.
Ingredients
- Chicken: 500 gms
- Onions: 2nos
- Lime: 1 tbsp
- Milk: 90 ml
- GG paste: 3 tbsp
- Gr. Chilly whole: 2 nos
- Gr. Chilly chopped: 2 nos
- Hung Curd: 3 tbsp
- Almonds: 30 gms
- Cashewnuts: 30 gms
- Sultanas: 25 gms
- Cinnamon: 1” pc
- Cardamom: 3 nos
- Cloves: 3 nos
- Cumin Powder: 1 tbsp
- Coriander Powder: 2 tbsp
- Kashmiri chilly Powder: 1 tbsp
- Shaan Masala: 1 tsp
- Butter: 10gms
- Oil: 3 tbsp
- Coriander Leaf: 1 bunch
- Water: 1cup
Method
- Clean, wash and rinse chicken thoroughly. Make a few gashes on the chicken and keep aside.
- Soak almonds and Kajoo in hot water for some time. Peel off the almond skin and cashew nuts in a blender by adding 90 ml of milk. Keep aside
- Take Chicken in a SS bowl, add GG paste, Beaten curd, almond and Kajoo paste, Lime juice, chopped gr. Chilly.
- Add all condiments and dry powdered Kasoori Methi, and Fresh cream and melted butter. Add seasonings.
- Mix all ingredients in the bowl and after Marination, add sultanas washed. Keep for one and half hrs. covered in a refrigerator.
- Heat oil in a pan, add dry spices then add onions and sauté till brown. Now add all the refrigerated masala with chicken into the pan and sauté for 5mts. Cover the pan and cook for 10 mts.
- Open the pan and check if the chicken is properly cooked. Mix well and keep closed. Shut off the fame.
- Keep a katora with 1small cinnamon, I cardamom and cloves inside and place on top surface of the masala without tilting.
- Put live hot charcoal inside the katora, add 1 tsp of Desi ghee, close with the lid and allow to smoke the dish.
- When the dish is opened after the smoke ceases the whiff alone will vouch for you. Garnish with coriander leaves and the silver vark.
Chef Nandakumar Menon or ‘Chef Nandu as he is known evolved into the Super Chef series. He was at the CASINO HOTEL in Kochi and later at the remarkable COCONUT LAGOON in Kumarakom. Both iconic Hotels and restaurants of repute for the quality and consistency of food offered at their restaurants. Coconut Lagoon where Chef Nandu headed the kitchen moulded him to cater to international clientele from all over the world coming in to experience the magic of the backwaters of Kerala and Kerala itself as a unique destination.
From his early Catering Technology days at Adayar, Chennai and training at the famed TAJ MAHAL INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, Mumbai, Chef Nandu was back again at the Welcome Group’s ADAYAR PARK INN, Chennai.
Later he headed the setting up of the various F&B outlets of the ABAD PLAZA group, Kochi as its Corporate Chef.
And then with the Quilon Beach hotels, Chef Nandu created a redefined art of culinary expertise. His clientele were Doctors, Cashew businessmen and of course celebrities from the tinsel world, the cloyed connoisseurs had a different feel with his nouvelle cuisine.
He still loves to cook and share his valuable experience of the world of food with The Daily Brunch and its readers in our series on SUPER CHEFS.
Cheers!
