There are days when all I wanted to do is cuddle up in the couch and eat spicy food. Complimenting to my mood swings was the rain outside that increased my cravings. I walked into the kitchen with fusion cooking on my mind, and opened the refrigerator to check out what was there inside to please our palettes. Oh and yes, I found chicken that is usually stocked up in the refrigerator for a quick fix always. So I decided to cook chicken 65. Regardless of the thousand stories I hear on how the name “65” was attached to this dish, I simply feel it’s uttlerly delicious every single time I taste. I tasted this for the first time at my grandma’s home when our cook pandu made it for us. Ever since I fell in love with it and my loyalty to the dish still continues 🙂 . Well stories apart lets take a look at how you whip up this quick dish in no time. Oh and remember to have a bottle of cold water beside you before attempting to eat this dish.  Don’t be afraid. Try it definitely, it won’t disappoint you but then again don’t go about blaming me I did’nt warn you 🙂

Sending this to viki’s — The Potluck – Chicken

Ingredients:

For the marinade & frying

1 lb boneless skinless chicken (cut into small cubes. I used boneless breast)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ajinomotto

2 tsps corn flour

½ tsp black pepper powder

1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste

1 whole egg

cooking oil for deep frying

Others

3-4 tbsps cooking oil

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

8 – 10 Green chillies slit into halves lengthwise (adjust)

10 – 12 curry leaves

½ tsp black pepper powder (adjust)

½ tsp cumin powder

2 tsps chilli powder (adjust)

3 tbsps chilli garlic sauce (I used the store brought one)

¼ tsp ajinomotto

2 tbsps freshly chopped mint

3 – 4 tbsps freshly chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp garam masala

few tbsps of water (about 3-4 tbsps)

few drops of red food color (optional, but if you want that restaurant style look use it. I used the Mc cormik liquid red food color. You can also use the powdered form available in indian grocery stores but mix a pinch in little water and add it to the dish)

¼ cup of thick yoghurt (whip it and set aside)

Salt to taste

Finely chopped spring onions for garnish (optional)

How to:

• In a bowl mix together chicken, salt, ajinomotto, ginger – garlic paste, black pepper powder, corn flour, and egg. Set aside
• Heat oil for deep frying in a wide and deep bottomed vessel. Lower the flame, and drop in the chicken pieces slowly into oil. (Do not over crowd the pan. If the vessel is small, fry them in batches). Increase the flame to high and fry for not more than 4-5 minutes. Do not fry more than that because it turns the chicken hard. Remove the fried chicken and set aside.
• Take another wide vessel or a wok, add oil. When hot, on medium flame add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Throw in chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and fry for 1 minute. By this time you will start feeling the flavours that come out from garlic and ginger.
• Add black pepper powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, and salt to taste. Then add chilli garlic paste, ajinomotto, chopped mint, chopped coriander leaves, garam masala and fry for about 1-2 minutes on medium flame.
• Add little water (a few tbsps) and cook for a minute on medium flame. Add red food color, mix well and throw in the fried chicken pieces. Toss them well so that spices coat nicely. Add yoghurt and mix well to coat the chicken. Increase the flame to high and cook till the youghurt is absorbed fully and the chicken starts looking shiny. Adjust salt and chilli powder. Turn off the flame
• Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot. Goes well as an apetizer or as a side dish for fried rice, pappu charu etc.,

Note: If you are running out of chili garlic sauce or cannot find it in your local store, thats ok. It is an optional ingredient. I tried it many times and it tasted as delicious as it was when the sauce is added.  Also please adjust ingredients like chilli powder, garam masala, green chillies etc., according to your spice levels.