Tuesday 1 June 2010

Kolhapuri Chicken


( Vegetarians & vegans can try this masala with any vegetable of their choice. )

The last couple of months I had been on an almost no cooking mode ... read plain cooking, eating and resting. Rested I a lot.
I also caught up with my reading and a whole lot of music that had taken a backseat in the rush.
I embroidered a lot. Cut up a lot of kurtis to make cushion covers. :p
And I also drank a lot of water ... well ... does not make sense putting that in the list ... but that was one thing I did really well. My life depended on it ... ok ... I may be exaggerating .. but I wanted to live pain free ... so the only option I had was to drink ... H2O.

I also forgot that my blog turned two ... and poor Kichu Khon went without a party and a cake.

I also went through a lot of my old mails ... and hung my head in shame. There have been so many requests I cannot even start to list them. Advice and discussions on a particular recipe I get back to promptly ... but for requests, I need to cook the food first, sample it and then post it. Which was not at all possible on my part for the past few months.



Dear readers and followers, please forgive me my illness. I am getting back to my normal diet and will soon start to post all ... I promise ... all your requests. And if you have not left comments here I understand perfectly well.

I also have had non bloggers who have sent in their recipes for me to try out. No, none of them have asked me to post them ... they just wanted to share their food with me virtually. But I promise them too ... not only will I try them out, I'll post them too.

So friends ... peace. :-)

God knows I value your comments ... any blogger will know what comments mean to us ... and have no grudge against anybody who hasn't left a line here.

But since I know you were here ... and for how long ... looking for what ... what you read ... what you liked ... and what you have disliked ... I thank you.
Just for being here.
Kichu Khon owes you loads of great recipes. :-)

As mentioned earlier, am slowly getting back to normal diet. Fish and eggs are still off limits, but am allowed a little chicken now.
The first two times I stuck to my stews and soups. And then promptly went back to my favourite recipe ... that is spicy and ... well ... spicy.

I do not make the Kolhapuri masala at home, thanks to N Bhabi who is originally from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. But if I ever run out of it, I just buy a packet of Katdere Kanda Lahsoon masala ... easily available off the shelves. It is almost the same ... but remember .. it is different from Goda masala ... which has a completely different look, taste and flavour.



The fun of using this Kolhapuri masala is you do not have to use almost anything else. Just throw in a few chopped onions ... that too if you want your gravy to have some body ... and this masala. Most Maharashtrian dishes have a slightly watery yet a very flavourful gravy.

I did not use any extra garam masala or tomatoes or anything else. And if you want your chicken tender, add it only after adding water.
Too much of frying / bhuno ing results in touch chicken pieces.

Need :

Chicken pieces
Chopped or sliced onions
Lemon juice
A little sugar
Salt to taste
Cooking oil
Water

I made it this way :

Apply lemon juice to the chicken pieces and keep aside.

Heat a little cooking oil in a kadahi or deep pan. ( Remember the Kolhapuri masala has enough oil in it ).

Add the sliced onions and fry for a while.

Now add the Kolhapuri masala and stir well. If you like your food spicy, the be generous with the spoonfuls ... else add only a couple of teaspoonfuls.

Add enough water.

Add the chicken pieces.

Add sugar and salt ( remember the masala will have salt in it ).

Cover and cook till chicken is tender.

Remove cover and serve hot.



Goes great with plain rice, rotis or parathas.

The next couple of weeks will be rush rush for me as one part of the family is visiting.
Then the monsoons start.
Even if it is already wonderfully cool here ... and the nights definitely cold ... can't wait for the monsoons.
Then the other part of the family will visit.

But I will be around folks. With my ridiculously simple recipes.
And all your requests. :-)

Take care all !!

And thank you for all your good wishes. :-)

A few other Chicken recipes on Kichu Khon

Quick Stir Fried Chilli Chicken
Doi Morich Chicken

Stir Fried Chicken with Vegetables

Narkel Chicken

Masala Chicken

Tangy Chicken




31 comments:

  1. khub khushi holam pode tui aabar bhalo mondo khete parchhish...just dont ditch the lifesaver...water!! :)

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  2. Wow chicken looks yum...nice pics

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  3. Sharmila,
    bhalo laglo porey je you have recovered and ready to cook all the delicious things.I am glad you utilized the time with music,sewing and books.Chicken ami khokhono na korte pari na,this looks delicious :-).
    hugs and smiles

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  4. Right, the all important H2O...we can't do without it. Great to know you are getting better.
    The chicken looks delicious, will try one day. But my all time favourite of yours remain the stir fried chicken with vegetables which I now make very often.

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  5. Thanks Joyee! Never again will I neglect drinking water. Got to eat chicken .. am at peace. :-)

    Thanks Priti! :-)

    Thanks Jaya! Yeah, I did enjoy my break. :-)

    Thanks Aparna! Glad to know you like that recipe ... feedbacks like this are always a booster.
    You'll love making this too ... too easy. Just get hold of that masala. :-)

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  6. It is early morning but my tongue is longing for a taste of this chicken.

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  7. Pity, we don't get the Kolhapuri masala here. Will look out for it or ask my Pishi to send from Bombay. Chicken ta khoob shundor laagche.

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  8. LOVE the gravy, so tasty.

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  9. jak baba tumi sustho hoe uthecho. tabe akhono khub jal kheo kintu. kolhapuri chicken to byapok hoeche dekhte. ami akbar kolhapuro mutton baniechilam. eta try krbo. masla ta dekhte habe ekhane paoya jay kina.

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  10. Sharmila, shune khub bhalo laglo je you r recovering and getting into normal diet..don't forget to drink water. Chicken ta darun lagche...gravy looks favulous..take care

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  11. Sharmila

    Ekebare Kolhapuri diye broto bhongo !!! I made a Kolhapuri Mutton a few days ago, recipe handed down by MOm. It was very good but guess I need to make it one more time before I post.

    I love the look of your chicken, gorgeous

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  12. Thanks ISG! Go ahead and try it out soon. :-)

    Pree, Indian stores e o pabe na? Tumi chaile ami pathiye dite pari ekhan theke. :-)

    Thanks Asha! It is. :-)

    Thanks Sayantani! Jol khawa ar bhuli!

    Thanks Indrani! Ek ek shomoye patla jhal jhal gravy khub bhalo lage. :-)

    Thanks Sandeepa! LOl .. could not wait to go beyond bland soups and into spicy stuff. :-)

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  13. Wow...lovely colour Sharmila..good to know you are getting back to good health..take care..

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  14. Ja hok tumi ekhon bhalo hoae uthecho, bhalo khabar. Kolhapuri chicken ta daroon dekte hoyeche.Aer mutton version-ta korechi. jano aami chicken kayene, kinto badir sabar jonne aae recipeta ranna korbo.
    Bhalo theko...

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  15. looks yum... nice pix...
    Dont worry about missing all the blog milestones. More important to take care of your health...

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  16. hey good to see you thinking and posting about food agains... means you are feeling better...touch wood

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  17. Sharmila oned din aste parini.. for the past 15 days went thru a mini tornado.. guests ;-).. + many other things going on.

    Shune bhalo laglo that you are slowly getting back to normal diet. keep drinking water!!

    I did read that story and the beautiful imagery that u created. could visualize everything in front of me. aam poRar shorbot koto bochor khayini. barite aam porao hoto, but ekhane boil kori and it just does not have the same flavor.

    We love kolhapuri chicken & usually use the parampara paste when I am not making the masala at home. besh gorom gorom bhat diye khete ichey korchay.

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  18. Thanks Valli! :-)

    Thanks Gouridi! Mutton e aro bhalo lagbe am sure .. ami mutton kinte jani na, tai chicken khai. :-)

    Thanks Somoo! You are right. :-)

    Thanks Knife! Hmm ... the thinking part matters most. :-)

    Thanks Soma! Ami o eta MW te boil korei korechi. :p
    I hear you on that tornado thing ... right now my home is experiencing it. Parampara paste ta ektu mild hoye, tai na? :-)

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  19. dear sharmila,

    my first time in your blog. your writing reminded me that i used to call my father "bapi' who too loved to eat. in fact we used to start our day at b'fast table planning about lunch and dinner.

    your writing style has a soothing effect on those who read it .. what we call in bengali, "snigdho". keep it up. will come back. and all the best for your recovery. :-)

    sharbori

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  20. Heard a lot abt this dish, but never got a chance to taste them, thanks for this virtual treat, i am positive I will love it, gonna try soon:)

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  21. Thanks Sharbori! And welcome. :-)

    :-) 25BAR.

    Thanks Malar! If you like very spicy stuff you will surely love it. :-)

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  22. Dear Sharmila
    I feel good that you are feeling good..and starting with a bang..recipe looks nice. Will try soon as soon as my younger daughter is back. I am yet to develop a taste for chicken dishes which I am trying for ages.
    bhalo theko

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  23. Hi there, good to know you're getting better, and able to enjoy treats again..oh, and I adore aam panna too:)
    Just got done with my exams,whew.. awaiting the results now
    Take care

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  24. YUM! Looks so spicy and love the thin gravy. Must try, bookmarked! :)

    Enjoy the Monsoon, we have so much humidity here that we are craving for some rain.

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  25. wow this chicken looks delicious i love chiken
    thanks for lovely recipe

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  26. Thanks Ushnishda! You do not like chicken??!!! :-)

    Thanks Rashmi! All the best for your results. :-)

    Thanks Asha! May you get some soothing rain soon. :-)

    Thanks knk! :-)

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  27. Inviting you personally to bread mania event
    http://www.athidhyam.com/2010/05/event-bread-mania.html

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  28. hi, glad that you are back. chicken look great. but what do i do if i dont have access to the kolhapuri masala?? :((

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  29. Thanks Chaitra! :-)

    Thanks Sunetra! Well ... in that case you can make the simple chicken jhol with onion + ginger + garlic paste ( I'll be posting it soon ). :-)

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  30. I really enjoy your post .. the presentation is superb especially the procedures, its explained very well and easy to follow .. Good job and thanks for sharing :)

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