Roasted

Chicken Tandoori

admin — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 10:51:04 +0000

It is said that the origins of the tandoor date back to 2,500-2,600 BCE. The earliest evidence was found in Harappa and Mohenjodaro, two key sites part of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. How does such an ancient method survive to this day? The answer is very simple: the concept and creation of the tandoor.

In ancient times, the tandoor was a cylindrical clay pot made in all kinds of shapes and sizes. The remarkable quality of the pot was that it was able to keep the heat trapped inside. The heat is generated by a charcoal or wood fire which burns within the tandoor itself. This exposes the food to radiant heat and gives the food a smoky flavor.

Tandoori chicken as a dish originated in the Punjab before the independence of partition of India. In the late 1940s, tandoori chicken was popularised at Moti Mahal in Peshawar by Kundan Lal Jaggi, Thakur Dass, and Kundan Lal Gujral, who are all Punjabi Hindus, as well as the founders of the Moti Mahal restaurant.

Kundan was the first to dig a tandoor right in the middle of his eatery in Gora Bazaar, Peshawar. The demand for tandoori chicken at social gatherings and events grew quickly, requiring the use of an improvised tandoor. But in 1947, partition drove Kundan away from Peshawar, forcing him to flee to Delhi in India.

Roaming the streets with no money or resources he ended up in an abandoned Thara in Daryaganj. This is where he decided to rekindle his art of tandoori chicken cuisine, and Moti Mahal, the internationally recognized restaurant was born.

Kundan Lal Gujral’s recipe was the first to perfect this way of cooking with chicken and changed the way of cooking chicken in India. Tandoori chicken is prepared by roasting chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices in the tandoor, with temperatures reaching up to 480 degrees Celsius.

It may be argued as to who actually invented the dish, but either way, tandoori chicken is consumed worldwide and is loved by everyone.

Chicken Seekh Kebab

admin — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 10:50:33 +0000

The story behind the origin of seekh kebab is as interesting as the dish itself. Seekh Kebab, originally known as Shish Kebab was introduced to us by the Turks. In Turkish, Shish actually means a “sword” or skewer and Kebab means “to roast”.

Legend has it that Shish Kebab was first originated on the open field as the Turkish soldiers would take shelter in the forests during night time and hunt for any wild meat that they could find. They would then skewer it on their sword and roast it.

This method was used by Turkish tribes during the war as they pushed west from their homeland in Central Asia while they first invaded Anatolia.
The true Shish Kebabs are pieces of marinated lamb affixed to flat or four-sided bladed metal skewers. These are grilled over a fire suspended by a skewer holder, without the meat ever touching the grilling grate.

The varieties of marinades are wide and could include any combinations of olive oil, lemon juice, onion juice, milk, yogurt, bay leaves, cinnamon, cumin, and other spices.

Meats used in seekh kebabs are usually marinated prior to cooking. A basic marinade might consist of only olive oil, lemon juice, and onions, while a more complex one would include marjoram, crumbled bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, and other spices.

Chicken Malai Tikka

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 03:31:41 +0000

When talking about tikka, it is impossible not to think of Turkey. One theory holds that the soldiers in the Ottoman empire hunted local animals as a way of adding to their diet and grilled their meat on open flame using their swords as skewers, giving birth to the modern-day concept of skewered kababs.

Although India was not a part of the Ottoman Empire, we inherited the kabab culture probably from the Afghan invaders of north India in the 13th and 14th centuries. In India, the specialized cooks for kababs are called kababiyas. There are numerous kinds of kababs starting from lightly seasoned to heavy on spice, from chunks of chewy meat grilled to seared perfection to melt-in-the-mouth galauti kababs made with meat paste for a toothless old nawab. Indian kababs have a very distinct taste compared to their Middle Eastern or Central Asian cousins as they are infused with spices native to India and are made following specialized recipes perfected in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire by legendary families of kababiyas.

Murgh malai tikka kabab is one such kabab which is an Indian kabab with a very distinct taste. Murgh is chicken and malai is cream. The name can be interpreted in two different ways, one being that the chicken cubes are marinated with cream along with other ingredients; alternatively, that the kabab itself is soft and creamy when eaten immediately after cooking. These kababs are best eaten by themselves with a dash of chat masala (or black salt and lemon juice) and an onion- cucumber salad on the side. They can also be tucked in pita bread like a wrap, or just eaten with any green salad.

Chicken Afghani

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 03:30:39 +0000

Afghani people take pride in their cooking and their family recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next for over a thousand years. Afghani food is rich in flavors that include coriander, cardamom, cayenne pepper, curry, garlic, mint, homemade yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.

Much of the history of Afghan cooking has been influenced by other countries as Afghanistan was a major cross-road for invaders, including Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, as well as traders and merchants traveling the ancient Silk Route, through which a variety of spices and cooking techniques were introduced to the Afghani people. Major influences were adopted from China, India, Greece and the Middle Eastern countries.

The secret to Afghan chicken is in the marinade. It is prepared by marinating chicken in a rich creamy marinade made with cashew nut paste, cream, lemon juice, cheese and ginger-garlic paste, and then baked to perfection. The dish has a smoky and rich taste.

Chicken Changezi

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 03:29:41 +0000

The Chicken Changezi, a popular chicken delicacy popular in the Northern part of the country, is said to have its link with the Mongolian ruler and invader Ghenghis Khan, or as Indians would like to call him Changez Khan.

He was very particular about his dish and the amount of spices that were used. One of his chef experimented with the chicken dish to suit his taste buds, which resulted in impressing the king. This dish was prepared in milk and cream which cut the spicy flavor of the food. Chicken Changezi is made with roasted chicken in tomato-based gravy.

This dish uses a lot of Indian spices which was alien to the Mongol army and hence there might not be a direct connection to the King. It is said that the Mongols kept threatening to invade Delhi, going even as far to sack Lahore, but the wise administration and politics of the Delhi sultanate kept them from ruining Delhi. This constant point of contact led many Mongol residents to take shelter in the suburb outside the city walls, which was known to be called 'Mughalpura', (somewhere near Paharganj today). Mughalpura may not have survived the tides of time, but their culinary practices stayed. Chicken Changezi is often dubbed as a brainchild of those marvellous cooking techniques.

Chicken Changezi is best enjoyed with Roomali Roti or Naan, however, teaming it with rice is also not a bad option.

Chicken Tikka Boneless

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 03:27:14 +0000

Paneer Tikka

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 03:26:29 +0000

Known as the vegetarian version of the classic Chicken Tikka, Paneer Tikka is an Indian dish that uses chunks of paneer marinated in spices which are arranged on a stick with capsicums, onions and tomatoes.

These sticks are grilled in a tandoor and the dish is thereafter served hot, seasoned with lemon juice and chaat masala. It is sometimes accompanied by salad or mint chutney. Tikka dishes traditionally go well with mint chutney. The paneer, though tender, has a crisp singe on the surface.

It is an equally tasty form of tikka that so many people across the world, especially the Indian sub-continent tend to enjoy and come back for more.