Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast Recipe
The coastal city of Mangalore, found in southwestern India, is known as being a business hub and one of the most pristine cities in the country. Mangalore is also known for the healthy dose of incredible flavor found in its cuisine, much of which is enhanced by the use of ghee as an essential ingredient.
The list of popular and flavorful Mangalorean dishes is long. Still, the chicken ghee roast is something you will find the region often connected with. Chicken ghee roast is an especially unique dish for the role that ghee plays in bringing out the flavor. While some recipes could function well enough with something other than ghee, we recommend that this chicken ghee roast be made with ghee for best results.
The chicken ghee roast is terrific to pair with rice, naan, or other Mangalore specialties such as Mangalore buns, Neer Dosa, or Kappa Roti.
Chicken Ghee Roast: The Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 grams chicken, dressed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup Yogurt
- 1 tsp Red Chile powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
- 1 Tbsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Lime juice
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp Peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seed
- 6-7 Fenugreek seeds
- 1″ Cinnamon stick
- 4 whole Cloves
- 15 cloves Garlic
- 1″ Ginger, grated
- 2 Tbsp Coriander seeds
- 6 Kashmiri Chiles, seeded
- 2 Tbsp Tamarind pulp
- 2 tsp Jaggery
- 7 Tbsp Ghee
- 10 Curry leaves
Instructions
Step 1
Wash and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Marinade it in Yogurt, Ginger and Garlic paste, Coriander powder, Pepper, Red Chile Powder, Turmeric, 1/2 tsp Salt, and Lime juice. Marinate for about an hour.
Step 2
Heat 1 Tbsp ghee in a pan and add to it Garlic cloves, Fennel seeds, Peppercorns, Cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Cinnamon, whole Cloves, grated Ginger, Coriander seeds, and whole Kashmiri red chilies. Fry this for about a minute. Add the Tamarind pulp to the pan with a cup of water. Allow the water to boil for five minutes so that the masalas get soft. Let the mixture cool and make into a fine paste.
Step 3
In a heavy-bottomed pan, add about 1/2 Tbsp ghee and the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Cover and cook till the marinade thickens and the chicken cooks.
Step 4
In another heavy-bottomed pan, heat the remaining ghee (about 5 1/2 Tbsp), temper with a handful of Curry leaves, and add the masala paste along with 1/2 tsp salt. Allow the masala to get completely fried. Keep adding water so that the flavors from the aromatic spices blend with each other. The masala is done when you see ghee floating on top of the masala.
Step 5
Mix the cooked chicken with the fried masala and continue frying for 10 minutes. Add powdered Jaggery and mix well. Taste for salt and add as needed.
Step 6
After these 10 minutes, the chicken should be completely cooked and have a thick layer of masala coating. You will also see the ghee floating along with the masala.
Step 7
Garnish with curry leaves or coriander and serve hot.
Check out other great ghee recipes in our blog.
Sources:
Photo by Marvin Ozz from Pexels
