The words 'Chilli Chicken' may mean nothing to the uninitiated, especially to friends who are not familiar with South East Asian and in particular Indo-Chinese cuisine. For those fortunate enough to have tasted the delights, Chilli Chicken will conjure up a treasure trove of memories.

 

Of first visits to 'Chinese' restaurants as a child (with profound apologies to the Chinese people) Indians, and especially Bengalis from West Bengal, arrogantly boasted of serving the best 'Chinese'! Indeed there are many thriving establishments, well frequented, run by many 'oriental' families, perhaps not just from mainland China but many nearby regions.

 

I remember steaming hot dishes of Chilli Chicken eaten at such gourmet evenings, with unspoken disagreements and raised eyebrows over who wolfed down the last piece of chicken before offering it to the rest of the table…oh dear!

 

 

Ours is not to justify or dispute geography or cultural provenance, ours is to enjoy the sheer delight of a shockingly simple, yet deeply satisfying and memorable dish. An assault on the tastebuds that leaves you wanting more.

 

This recipe was given to my family from the chefs of one of the most famous 'Chinese' restaurants in (erstwhile) Calcutta.

 

Ingredients:

 

1. Chicken 1 kg – thighs make the best chilli chicken. I don't do the boneless version. Bones add flavour. Any other chicken pieces will also do. I always go for pieces with skin on as it has more flavour.

2. Dark soy sauce – good quality, half a bottle. YES, seriously!

3. Green chillies 7/8 slit – you can have less if you want

4. 3 medium sized or 2 large onions roughly chopped

5. 2 bunches of spring onions chopped 1cm in length. Chop the bulbs off first.

[Additionally, you can have a cup full of red peppers (capscicum) and or a cup of chopped mushrooms].

6. Half a cup of milk

7. Cornflour 2/3 tbsp

8. Mustard oil

9. Sugar 2 tbs

10. Salt to taste

 

Method:

 

1. Wash the chicken pieces well (score them with a knife on the sides so the juices seep in) and place in a shallow dish – do not pat dry or make any attempt to get rid of the excess water. What we want is a watery pool of freshly bathed chicken. You may add a few tablespoons of water to make it extra runny.

2. Mix the cornflour to the wet chicken and coat well. This is your initial batter mix.

3. Heat oil and fry the freshly coated chicken pieces – get a nice golden brown edge to them – once they are fried remove from the pan and set aside.

4. In the empty pan with the hot oil caramalise the onions

5. Next add all the remaining veggies. Fry.

6. Reintroduce the chicken and add the soy sauce. Yes, half a bottle. It sounds mad but it isn't.

7. At this point taste the gravy, if it needs any more salt add it, but be cautious and add less than you would normally.

8. Add half a cup of milk for a velvety gravy, cover and simmer for 10 mins on low heat.

9. Serve hot with fried rice of your choice.

 

 

N.B you can make a vegetarian version 'Chilli Paneer' with paneer instead of chicken – take care when frying the paneer – and increase the amount of veggies (other than onions), add in more mushrooms. You can also make a 'Chilli Fish' variety by substituting chicken with a good flavoursome fish like mackerel. Make sure you choose a fish that does not break easily when it is being deep fried following the initial batter mix.

 

*Postscript/ Chef's Tip

I have not used any MSG, garlic or ginger. I wouldn't recommend any of it. I would strongly recommend a generous amount of good quality dark soy sauce.

Author's Bio:

Samragi Simki was born in India, spent her childhood in Nepal, spent a few years in Burma before travelling to England to pursue her studies. Since 2000 Samragi has lived exclusively in England. She lives in Derbyshire with a menagerie of pets. Her hobbies include botanical watercolours, craftwork, occasional misadventures in verse or prose, and attempting to cook a range of different cuisines. Samragi comes from a family of accomplished chefs, and took some formal cookery classes as a young student. Her father Anjan was famous for his many culinary triumphs and remains her favourite chef of all time. Samragi's cooking is always an attempt to recreate her favourite childhood memories.