Chicken Chaap

This royal dish is very popular accompanied by Biriyani in some iconic restaurants in Kolkata. During my growing up years I never got to go to those restaurants as we were living in the suburb. Chicken Chaap only reminds me some people's wedding ceremony and still remembering that amazing taste of the royal specialty served with special paratha(flat bread).

I heard different version of the Chicken Chaap recipe from friends and made my own version. All I know is the chicken leg quarter pieces marinated with yogurt, onion, ginger garlic paste and some nuts and seeds paste at least for 4 hours or overnight. Then slowly cooked in ghee with some dry roasted warming spices, aromatic water and saffron till done. Some restaurants may use shortening also known as banaspati in India, but in royal cuisine ghee is a must without any compromise. Only thing I leave out is mitha ator because of it's strong smell.  

Ingredients~

(US customary units)

4 pieces of leg quarters or cut into two pieces (about 2 1/4 lb.)

1/2 cup low fat strained yogurt

1/2 cup chopped onion slightly sauteed 

1 tsp garlic paste

2 heaping tsp, ginger paste

1 tsp poppy seeds, soaked

4 of each cashew and almond, soaked 

8-10 saffron strands, soaked in warm water

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 -3/4 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp hot chili powder

1/2 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chili powder

1 tsp or more of each kewra and rose water

1/3 cup or more ghee

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

For the dry spices:

5 green cardamom

4 cloves

1 small cinnamon stick

2 small mace blades

1/4 tsp coriander

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 

Method~

Dry roast spices except nutmeg, then ground to a smooth powder all together. Cut at least three slits on the leg quarter. Make a smooth paste of onion, ginger, garlic, poppy seeds, nuts and mix with rest of the ingredients except ghee, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Marinate chicken with this mixture, saffron and flavored water in a wide pan or bowl and make sure chicken pieces are well coated. Leave it in the refrigerator for four hours to overnight.

Heat ghee in a large wide heavy bottomed pan. Shake of marinades from chicken pieces as much as possible and fry on medium low heat both sides just until slightly brown. Remove chicken pieces from the pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and marinade. Slow cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. Add in chicken pieces and simmer in the gravy turning often as needed until cooked through. Add a  few table spoons of water if needed to thin out the gravy. At last sprinkle dry spices and have a test taste. Serve with either Biriyani or paratha.

Happy Cooking!