Chicken Majestic

Ingredients

• FOR THE MARINADE
• 3 tbsp butter milk (optional)
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 level tsp salt
• 1 level tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 40g (1/4 cup) cornflour (corn starch)
• FOR THE FRIED CHICKEN
• 125ml (1/2 cup) rapeseed (canola) oil
• 600g (1 ½ lb) chicken breasts, sliced into long strips against the grain
• FOR THE CURRY
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• ½ red onion, very finely chopped
• 3 green bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions (scallion) cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
• 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 – 3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or to taste)
• 70ml (¼ cup) plain natural yoghurt
• 1 – 2 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari (GF)
• 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
• Juice of one lime

Steps

1. Whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl until creamy smooth. Add chicken strips and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. When ready to cook, heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Once visibly hot, stir in the chicken and shallow-fry, stirring regularly to prevent scorching in spots, until cooked through. It should be light in colour with a crisp, light golden exterior. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside.
3. For the curry, wipe the pan or wok clean if a lot of loose flour remains. Add oil and heat over medium-high. Stir in cumin and fennel seeds and temper about 30 seconds, then add curry leaves and fry another 30 seconds. Fry the chopped onion for a couple of minutes to soften, then stir in the ground spices and garlic-ginger paste. Stir well, add chopped chillies and spring onions, then stir in yoghurt and soy sauce. Keep simmering until the sauce is thick.
4. Add fried chicken and keep stirring until coated in sauce. Add chopped coriander and, if desired, a little more soy sauce or tamari. Squeeze in lime juice and serve hot.