From disaster to delicious!

I always wanted to do a cooking blog...since the time I made my first dish of cauliflower manchurian, almost eight years ago. I thought it was the best manchurian I had ever eaten and if I don't blog the recipe...I felt I might be doing a sin to others who haven't been lucky enough to taste it. But the blog never happened. A) because that was the only dish I knew back then and secondly I  had just gotten married and didn't want to be stereotyped as the domesticated ideal wife. I was a working girl and it was harmful to my image.

Seven years later, today as I stand in my kitchen, the smell of masala chicken smeared all over me, I feel like I am so ready to start what i had always wanted.

So the first step was to think of a title... Okay, so wooden spoon, show me the curry and masala magic were all taken. I wanted something different, something me. I was no master chef. I was just a working girl who entered the culinary world by mere desperation. I had bid adieu to the land of cooks and cleaners and come to the United States of America and off went all the perks that came with living in a developing country. 

So as I sat down, thinking of a perfect title for my blog, the term 'damage control' kept popping up in my mind. It was perfect for a first time food blogger like me. After all, each and every single dish I made were often the end result of my attempt to manage the disasters I had initially made in the process. Be it pouring coconut milk to fried chicken that I had over spiced ( cos everything tasted good with coconut milk) or transforming my attempt at pav bhajjj to an impressive casserole dish. So there you have it! Specially dedicated to all those women who thought they were going to be the next  Giada De Laurentiis the first time they made a meal for their husbands and to those men who had to eat it and pretend it was the best dish ever!

CHILLI CHICKEN 65

So it all started with my trip to the grocery store and finding out that the whole rotisserie chicken was on sale. Every time I had seen the golden glazed full chicken rotate in the oven at the Deli, I had always wanted to give it a try. But was worried that like most of the other American dishes, it would be rather too bland for my Indian palette. But for just $5, I thought it was worth giving a try.

I reached home and tore out a piece of the tempting leg. But unfortunately all I could taste was salt and pepper. How these goras could survive in a world deprived of garam masala was beyond my understanding? There was no way I could eat it.

Though it was only $5, I still didn't want to throw it ruthlessly away. After all a chicken did sacrifice its life. How could I just let it go to waste? Maybe I could give it a desi touch. Maybe add some tomato purée, spices, milk and cream and turn it into a Murgh Makhani. But the ingredients mentioned lime and the combo wouldn't work. Maybe I could try chilli chicken. But that would mean I have to make a bowl of noodles to go with it...and I had already done the rotis. So maybe something North Indian then. I thought of transforming the rotisserie chicken into a chicken 65. But the recipe on YouTube said I would have to deep fry. Now I didn't have a gall bladder and my husband was on a diet. The only one left was my daughter and it just felt like too much of cooking for a five year old who would equally be happy with just plain Mac n Cheese. 

Few minutes of staring blankly into my refrigerator and a couple of YouTube videos later, I came up with a plan. How about a chilli chicken 65. I wouldn't have to fry it and I could eat it with my rotis...the best of both worlds.

Recipe

Chicken (cooked, uncooked, with bone, without it...whichever way you like it)

Onions- 3 to 4 sliced

Ginger, garlic- cut into thin strips

Green chillies

Curry leaves

Soy sauce -2tbsp

Tomato ketchup -1tbsp

Honey just enough to drizzle

Sugar - 1 tbsp

red chilli powder, pepper, garam masala, salt

Red Color

Spring onions to garnish

Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper, lemon red chilli powder and garam masala...

Cook it any way you want it. Either you can slow cook it on a stove top or oven cook. (Since mine was already done, I just put it on High broil for 6 mts).

In a wok, add sliced onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, salt and fry till brown

Add ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, a little bit of red chilli powder and pepper ( And don't worry if you over spice it. I am sure we can transform our Chilli Chicken 65 into something else)

Sauté for 5 mts

Now add the chicken and let it coat well in the mixture. (Add colour, only if you want to).

Drizzle honey and cover the wok with a lid. Lower the flame and let it be for 2-3 mts. 

In a wok deep fry some sliced green chillies and curry leaves and add to the chicken. 

Garnish with spring onions.

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