serves
3-4
prep
15 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
3-4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
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Episode 3
episode • Street Food Nomad: Kolkata • cooking • 26m
G
episode • Street Food Nomad: Kolkata • cooking • 26m
G
Ingredients
For poaching the chicken
- 800 g (1.76 lbs) whole chicken, cut into pieces, skin removed
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) water
- 2 pieces cinnamon
- 30 g (2 tbsp) sliced onion
- 10 g (1 tbsp) sliced ginger
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 20 peppercorns
- 14 g (2.5 tsp) salt
For mixed paste
- 1 g (½ tsp) ground mace, lightly toasted
- 2 g (1 tsp) white pepper, lightly toasted
- 3 g (1 tsp) sifted coriander powder
- 10 g (1 tbsp) poppy seeds, lightly toasted
- 5 g (1 tbsp) cashew nuts, lightly toasted
- 10 g (2 tbsp) dried coconut, toasted
- Ginger garlic paste (as needed)
- Cashew nut paste (as needed)
For cooking:
- 80 g (⅓ cup) ghee
- 1 blade mace
- 4 dry red chillies
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 kitchen spoon (about 2 tbsp) onion paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp mixed paste
- 10 g (1 tbsp) blended green chilli
- Chicken stock (reserved from poaching)
- Coconut milk (as needed)
- ¼ tsp rosewater
- ½ tsp meetha attar
- 3 g (½ tsp) salt
Garnish (optional)
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Fresh coriander
- Dried shredded coconut
- Pomegranate seeds
- Rose petals
- Mint leaves
- Chopped cashews or almonds
Instructions
- To poach the chicken: Dissect the chicken into legs and breasts. Remove the skin.
- In a large pot, combine water, chicken pieces, cinnamon, onion, ginger, bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil and poach for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken, strain the stock, and set both aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the mixed paste: Lightly toast the mace and white peppercorns, then grind into a powder and sift it through a strainer.
- Toast the poppy seeds, cashew nuts, and dried coconut separately, then grind to a powder.
- Combine all ground spices with coriander powder, ginger garlic paste to taste and cashew nut paste to taste in a blender to form a smooth paste.
- To cook the dish: In a pot, heat ghee over medium heat. Sauté mace, dried red chillies, cardamom pods, onion paste and bay leaf until fragrant. Add 3 tablespoons of the prepared mixed paste and a bit of the reserved chicken stock, stirring well.
- Incorporate the coconut milk gradually, enough to form a thick gravy. Add the poached chicken and mix to coat evenly. Add rose water and meetha attar, adjusting the consistency with more chicken stock if needed. Season with salt and cook until the chicken is tender.
- To Serve: Plate the chicken and sauce and drizzle with melted ghee. Garnish with fresh coriander, dried shredded coconut, pomegranate seeds, rose petals and chopped nuts for a beautiful presentation.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
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Episode 3
