By Tahira
I love garlic. I love Chicken. So, this time I thought why not make a delectable delicacy out of the two.
A friend of mine had just shifted base to NCR after spending a decade in the Silicon Valley of India (Bangalore). Somewhat morose and trying to adjust to the idiosyncrasies of the Jat Land (Gurgaon), Amrita would often call me up. So, one fine day I just dropped in at her place impromptu to give her a surprise.
Well, indeed she was. We both ended up chatting for long when suddenly she came up with the idea, “ lets concoct up something in my kitchen.” So instead of placing an order for lunch, we immediately donned the chef’s hat. Amrita’s kitchen had almost everything. So, we dint have to worry much to make Garlic Chicken along with soy bean rice.
I must say that we enjoyed the sumptuous lunch of Garlic Chicken and Soybean Rice accompanied by some red wine. Yes, though the latter part may sound a little westernized for Indian homes, nonetheless, since we both are gourmets, it goes without saying that the wine goblets exuded the essence of the entire activity – the grand lunch that we had. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients
- Chicken 500 grams
- Garlic 15-17 cloves
- Ginger grated, 1 tea spoon
- Green Chillies 2-3 (you can add more if you want)
- Julienned Onion 1 large
- Yogurt ¼ cup
- Lemon Juice 1 teaspoon
- Whole cloves 6-8
- Whole Cardamoms 5-7
- Pinch of turmeric (optional)
- Olive Oil 3 tablespoons
- Salt to Taste
Method
Make a paste with ginger, 10 cloves of garlic, lemon juice, yogurt and a pinch of salt. Marinate the chicken in this paste for at least four hours. Now take a heavy-bottomed pan and heat olive oil in it. Keep the flame low. Smash the remaining garlic pods and throw in the oil along with cloves and cardamoms. Sauté for a few minutes. Believe me the aroma released from the spices were absolutely to die for.
Now add the onions and fry till they become translucent. Add the marinated chicken along with cloves and cardamoms and turmeric. Sprinkle some salt according to your taste. Add a little water and cover with a lid. Cook slowly on a low flame while stirring constantly for around 20 minutes. Remove from stove, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.
