Photograph by Archana Pidathala

R E C I P E S

Murgh Malai Kababs with Dhaniya-Pudina Chutney
(Creamy Chicken Kababs with Coriander-Mint Chutney)

By Archana Pidathala

The kababs are more common in the northern parts of India. So in that sense this is not a typical dish from Bangalore, but it is what we down south have adapted from the northern states.

In this simple recipe, from Chef Rajesh, who is the head cook for all the tandoori cooking at my father’s restaurant, chicken is first marinated with lime juice, ginger-garlic paste, and then further marinated with yogurt, cream, white and black pepper powders, and a whole array of spices. The yogurt is the thick home-set kind we call “curd”: milk is boiled down for close to an hour on very low flame and then set with the starter to achieve thick curd; but any natural yogurt has the acidity needed here. The marinated chicken cooks in a tandoor or a home oven till it is reaches a melt-in-mouth texture. Serve as an appetizer or for a main course with a squeeze of lime and coriander-mint chutney.

500 gr chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1½ inch piece of gingerroot and 8 cloves of garlic, ground to a paste

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teapoon (6 to 7 gr) salt

1 tablespoon plain natural yogurt

¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream

2 teaspoons cornstarch (UK cornflour)

1 tablespoon freshly ground white pepper

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon garam masala

4 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl along with the ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, and salt. Mix well. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cream, cornflour, ground white and black peppers, ground coriander, and garam masala. Pour this mixture over the marinated chicken and mix well, ensuring the pieces are well coated. Rest another 15 minutes.

If you use a tandoor, skewer the marinated chicken pieces and put the skewers into the tandoor for 10 minutes. Remove them, baste with ghee, and put them back into the tandoor for another 5 minutes.

If you use an electric or gas home oven, place the chicken pieces on a lined baking tray lined with parchment and bake at 200 degrees C (400 degrees F) for 15 to 20 minutes. At the halfway mark, baste with ghee and let the chicken pieces cook through. Serve with coriander-mint chutney. Serves 2.

Dhaniya-Pudina Chutney (Coriander-Mint Chutney)

2 green chiles (we use the slender, green, finger-shaped chiles called Jwala), chopped

1 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves, washed thoroughly, tightly packed

1 cup mint leaves, washed thoroughly, tightly packed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) water

1 teaspoon lime juice

Grind the chiles, coriander (cilantro) leaves, mint leaves, salt, sugar, and water to a smooth paste. Drizzle the lime juice over the chutney and mix well.