Chicken Indad
Throughout culinary history, classic recipes centered around a specific star ingredient have evolved to embrace a wide range of alternatives. Take, for instance, the renowned Goan Pork Vindaloo or the delightful Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast. Similarly, the Indad dish has also undergone this transformative journey. Originally conceived as a delectable combination of sweet, spicy, and sour flavors using pork belly as the hero ingredient, Indad has now expanded its repertoire to feature other culinary protagonists. In addition to the previously mentioned Prawn Indad, the more popular variation is the Chicken Indad.
In my observation, I have noticed a notable discrepancy between the Pork Indad and Chicken Indad. While the Pork Indad has a well-established and unique preparation method, the same level of distinction is lacking in the case of Chicken Indad. It’s not just the Indad Masala but the way the Pork belly is cut into these thin wide pieces and frying those pork pieces until they are caramelised and all the flavour packed fat from it has rendered, is what makes the Pork Indad unique and easily distinguishable.
Often, Chicken Indad is prepared by simply using a whole chicken cut and cooked in the Indad masala. But have we ever considered the potential of using different cuts of chicken and making use of the tantalizing chicken skin? By crisping and rendering the skin, we can unlock a whole new level of flavor. Let’s not overlook the unique qualities of Chicken Indad and elevate it beyond being seen as just a sweet-spicy-sour chicken curry. The Chicken Indad is a dish that deserves more attention and appreciation. It’s time to give this dish the recognition it deserves.
For those wondering why the Prawn Indad isn’t prepared in the same manner, the answer is quite simple. Seafood, being delicate, requires careful cooking to preserve its taste and texture. Overcooking it can greatly diminish the overall dining experience. That’s why, as mentioned in my recipe for Prawn Ghee Roast, I suggest cooking the masala separately and adding the prawns at the end to ensure they remain tender and flavorful.
It’s the 3rd Anniversary of One Plate Please today and as a token of appreciation for your love and support along this journey of mine, I’m bringing you this new way of making the Chicken Indad. Let’s go that one extra step and make this dish unique. To be honest, this recipe isn’t really new but my attempt at realigning it with the Pork Indad. Source some nice juicy chicken thighs with the skin-on, crisp up that skin, cook the Indad masala in the rendered fat and then finish cooking the Chicken thighs in the masala to make this Chicken Indad a truly authentic Indad experience. Read on for the complete process.
How to make Chicken Indad
I prepare the Chicken Indad very similar to my Pork Indad recipe. Take some Chicken thighs with the skin-on, and apply turmeric and salt to them set aside for about an hour. While the meat marinates, proceed to making the masala. Dry roast some red chillies, peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon, garlic cloves, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, and raw rice on low flame till you get a nice aroma and the rice is browned a bit. Take it out on a plate and let it cool.
Next, roast some onions till translucent and allow to cool. Once cooled, grind the roasted ingredients along with tamarind, and raisins to a smooth paste, using vinegar and a little water. Retain the masala water from the mixer.
In a large frying pan, heat the ghee and once it is hot enough, fry the chicken thighs, skin side down (you should hear a sizzle as the chicken hits the pan). Fry the chicken on medium-high heat until the skin crispens and browns a bit and the fat from the skin has rendered. Flip the chicken thighs and continue to cook on medium heat till the chicken is about 80% done. Take out the chicken from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan that we fried the Chicken, fry the masala in the rendered chicken fat, until the raw smell vanishes (use some ghee if needed) and the masala thickens and darkens a bit. This is a bit of a time consuming process but when done right, the result is worth the effort. so please don’t skimp on this step and fry the masala, stirring continuously. Once the desired color and consistency is achieved, transfer the fried Chicken thighs to the pan and mix well until the pieces are well coated.
Now, at this stage if you wish to go for a greater depth in colour, grind a beetroot slice in some of the reserved masala water and add to the pan and continue to cook until most of the water evaporates and the pieces have taken up all the colour. Add chopped mint leaves and brown sugar and continue to cook until all the water is absorbed, and the gravy has thickened and Chicken is well cooked. Check the taste and adjust the salt, vinegar and sugar if needed. Serve hot! I enjoy the Chicken Indad with some Paan-poley.
Chicken Indad
Ingredients
- 1 kg Chicken Thighs (Skin-on), washed and patted dry
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Ghee,
For the Masala:
- 12 pc Dry red chillies, Long (I used Byadgi/ Kumti)
- 2 pc Dry red chillies, Short (I used Ramnad)
- 8 pc Black peppercorns
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 4 inch Cinnamon
- 1 pod Garlic Cloves
- ½ tsp Poppy seeds
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tbsp Raw rice
- 2 pc Onions, Large, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- Tamarind, marble ball sized
- 2 tbsp Raisins (see notes)
- 1 tbsp Mint leaves, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp Brown sugar
Optional Ingredient:
- Beetroot, 1 thick slice skin peeled off (see notes)
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken:
- Apply salt and turmeric to the Chicken Thighs and marinate for about an hour.
Preparing the Masala:
- Dry roast the red chillies, peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon, garlic cloves, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, and raw rice on low flame till you get a nice aroma and the rice is browned a bit. Take it out on a plate and let it cool.
- Next, roast the onions till translucent and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, grind the roasted ingredients along with the tamarind, and raisins to a smooth paste, using the vinegar and little water. Retain the masala water from the mixer
Frying the Chicken:
- In a large frying pan, heat the ghee and once it is hot enough, fry the chicken thighs, skin side down (you should hear a sizzle as the chicken hits the pan).
- Fry the chicken on medium-high heat until the skin crispens and browns a bit and the fat from the skin has rendered. Flip the chicken thighs and continue to cook on medium heat till the chicken is about 80% done.
- Take out the chicken from the pan and set aside
Preparing the Indad:
- In the same pan that we fried the Chicken, fry the masala in the rendered chicken fat, until the raw smell vanishes (use some ghee if needed) and the masala thickens and darkens a bit.
- Add the fried Chicken thighs and mix well until the pieces are well coated.
- Grind the beetroot slice (if using – see notes) with the masala water and add to the pan. Add some more water if needed and cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame
- Add the mint leaves and brown sugar and mix well and continue to cover and cook until the water is absorbed, and the gravy has thickened and Chicken is well cooked.
- Check the taste and adjust the salt, vinegar and sugar if needed. Serve hot!
Notes
- You can substitute the 2 tbsp of raisins with 4-5 Dates
- The proportions of the ingredients are based on my taste preference. Feel free to experiment with the proportions to suit your taste buds. Remember this dish needs to be a perfect blend of spice, sour and sweet, without any of these tastes overpowering the other
- Do not go overboard with the use of water in this dish. The gravy needs to be thick.
- The beetroot slice is added to achieve the deep red banquet worthy colour and add a earthy sweetness to the dish. You can however skip adding the beetroot
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