HIMACHALI FRIED MINT CHICKEN.

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What are your favorite memories of your recent vacation? Here in India we had a week long vacation to celebrate the greatest and grandest festival of the year. It's amazing how people of all religions and culture become part of this grand fest.

I remember some years back,I got the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Darjeeling,on the way we ate in shacks, trying to get the taste of the local cuisine, it's impossible to have that taste in big hotels or restaurants because fusion and the constraints of taking care of the calories plays havoc with the authenticity and the real flavor of the land.

There was this particular Recipe I got fond of but back then I was naive ,with no particular interest in cooking, let alone it becoming my passion. So never tried to write it down or ever tried making it.

Suddenly  a year back, I was watching the repeat telecast of an old Food program on NDTV, The name of the program was "Kaccha Rasta" The host or anchor was the legendary  Aditya Bahl. And he was talking about how this recipe is native to Himachal Pradesh and how he was going to try to replicate those flavors.

Here I was watching this show after so many years after that memorable trip and how Aditya was cooking that very recipe I had fallen in love with ❤ Is it a coincidence? Do you believe in coincidence and destiny? Whatever it was, I knew God has given me another opportunity to know and learn this recipe and to treasure it.

Now after cooking it several times, I have made this unique, flavourful, mouthwatering  dish a staple at my place.  It's one of the "Go -to" Dish which is easy-to-make and good to impress  the guest, as well as  comforting and easy on your tummy,as it is made in "Mint".

Ingredients :

• Chicken : 1 kg
• Curd : 3 to 4 tablespoon
• Mint leaves : 4 to 5 twigs.
• Cinnamon powder : 3/4th teaspoon.
• Green chilies : 2 to 4 ( Or according to the heat you require)
• Salt : To taste
• Ginger and garlic: finely chopped
• Black pepper: 1/4h teaspoon
• Ghee : 2 to 3 TBSP (Any oil or butter of your choice)
• Garam masala powder  : 1TSP
• Turmeric  : 1/4th teaspoon.

PREPARATION:

• Take the chicken, thoroughly wash and keep it aside to drain the water.
• Make mint chutney of all the Green masala.
• In a pan, heat the ghee,add the bay-leaf, 1 to 2 Big black  cardamom, when it crackles add the chicken, stir and add enough water to  cook the chicken. Close the lid for 10 to 12 minutes.
• When the water is nearly  evaporated, add the mint chutney, salt,turmeric, black pepper  and the garam masala and nicely stir. Again close the lid for 3-5minutes.
• Remove the lid, check the consistency, once you get a gravy like consistency,Add the cinnamon powder, stir, switch off the flame.
• Garnish with fried onions ,coriander and serve hot with naan, roti or bread of your choice.