Ginger Chicken

When we get nostalgic the first thing we think of are all the people you spent your time in the "good old days" and the second thing we think of will be either the food or the beautiful locations where you spent your most relaxing evenings.

Today I am thinking more of the food...the ginger chicken my Big brother would get for me form one of the road side roti stands in the Old City of Hyderabad. When I think of it, all the love the dish used to encompass also come to my mind and I start missing all the people involved...my parents...my Bade Bhaiyya...the house etc etc.

Anyway, I have been trying to recreate that taste for a very long time and this time I got pretty close. And it was very tasty and I hope I am creating the same kind of memories for my children...for which, one day they will become nostalgic.

Ginger Chicken (Chicken cooked in a ginger based curry)

Ginger Chicken

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken cut into small pieces
2. 1 medium onion ground to paste
3. 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
4. 2 tablespoons each of fresh squeezed lemon juice, soya sauce, 
5. 3 -4 inches of ginger about an inch thick...ground to paste as little water a possible
6. 1/2 teaspoon or more salt to taste
7. 1 teaspoon chilli powder
8. 3 tablespoons oil
9. 1 teaspoon garam masala 

Wash the chicken well and pat dry it. Mix it with lemon juice and soya sauce and ginger garlic paste and set aside for atleast 1 hr. Then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and chilli powder and set it aside.

Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Ground the onion to fine paste and on low heat fry this ground paste for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure not to burn the paste. Add the ground ginger and fry for 10 more minutes. Raise  the fire to medium and add chicken and fry for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and let it boil for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and if the gravy becomes too thick add some more water. Taste test for salt and adjust accordingly. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with Romali roti

Hyderabadi Ginger Chicken with Malabar Paratha

Long time ago when I was getting hooked up on the treats available in Hyderabad, one dish that made me crazy was Ginger Chicken. And there was a road side dhaba near my sis-in-law's house and whenever my brother used to go there I used to ask him to get it for me and OMG that was awesome. I never had Ginger chicken which tasted soooooooo delicious in another other hotel or restaurant.
                      I tried making Ginger chicken a lot of times before but still I missed that taste. So today I called my brother who is an amazing cook and asked him how to make this ginger chicken. So with his help I made the dish and it turned out Great with a CAPITAL G

                      I wanted to eat it with Naan but instead I just got frozen Malabar Parathas. I tried making them once but it is too much work and it didn't turn out very good. Better luck next time but today I am eating the frozen parathas

Hyderabadi Ginger Chicken (Chicken in a mildy sweet and spicy ginger gravy)

Ginger Chicken

Frozen Malabar Paratha

Ingredients:

1. About 2 lbs chicken pieces (I used Chicken wings )
2. 1 big onion or about 2-3 cups ground red onion puree
3. 1 tablespoons tomato puree
4. 2-3 inches ginger ground to paste
5. 1/2-3/4 teaspoon each of salt, chilly powder, cumin, coriander powder, garam masala
6. Pinch red food color (optional)
7. 3-4 tablespoons oil
8. 1 teaspoon thinly sliced ginger pounded
9. 1 green chilly (or use more for hotter curry)

Ingredients for marinade:

1. 1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste
2. 3/4 teaspoon each of salt, chilly powder, turmeric

Wash and pat dry the chicken and marinate it with the ingredients for about 1-2 hours

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces 5 minutes on each side on high heat till you get a nice brown crust. Drain and set aside.

Grind the onion along with ginger and green chilly and cumin. Add this to the hot oil in the pan and fry till all the water get evaporated. Add tomato puree and pounded ginger and all the powder ingredients and stir to combine. Fry for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer till oil separates. garnish with a generous amount of cilantro and serve with any Indian Bread like



Plain roti



Kalonji Roti