I cook very simple dishes at home, using minimal ingredients. They are mostly the home recipes that my mum makes in India. Being a lazy cook at home, I enjoy the simplicity of her recipes, but the ingredients come together into great-tasting, family-style dishes.
I picked this chicken tikka recipe to share because some of us might be missing our favourite takeaway, and it is very easy to make at home. It just involves a bit time and marinating, and it’s delicious.
It’s the sort of thing that would be part of a family meal my mum and grandma might make at home on a Sunday, when the entire family is together. I am also sharing my recipe for paratha, because Irish people love their bread as much as I do, and an easy mint chutney (if you can access fresh herbs).
During these times of self-isolation, I thought it would be nice to share this recipe from my home that people can make in their own homes.
Karan Mittal is head chef at Ananda restaurant in Dundrum, Dublin 16
CHICKEN TIKKA
Ingredients
400g chicken thighs
1 tsp chaat masala (a spice blend available in Asian stores, optional)
First marinade
40g ginger garlic paste (equal quantities, minced or chopped finely)
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp dried fenugreek powder
Second marinade
80g Greek or hung (strained) yoghurt
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp toasted cumin powder
Method
1. Heat your oven to 200 degrees, or equivalent.
2. Clean the chicken thighs and remove any extra fat. Cut the thighs in to small pieces and dust with the chaat masala, if using.
3. Make the first marinade by mixing all of the listed ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs and coat well.
4. Leave to marinate for at least an hour.
5. Remove the chicken pieces and allow the excess juices to drain.
6. Next mix the chicken pieces with the ingredients for the second marinade and refrigerate for at least two to three hours, overnight preferably.
7. When ready to cook, skewer the chicken and cook it in a very hot oven for about 20 minutes. Baste the chicken with melted butter and return to the oven to cook for a further five minutes, or until tender.
8. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and brush with some melted butter and chaat masala before serving with mint chutney.
Variation: You can use the same marinade to make tikka broccoli, peppers, cauliflower and onion as well.
PARATHAS (GRIDDLED WHOLEWHEAT BREAD)
Serves four
Ingredients
250g wholewheat flour
½ tsp sea salt
150ml water
3 tbsp ghee or melted butter
Method
1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add about two-thirds of the water and mix until smooth.
2. Slowly add enough of the remaining water to give a soft dough, then turn out on to a work surface and knead for a few minutes, until smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl and leave to rest for 15 minutes, covered with a damp cloth.
3. Divide the dough into five or six pieces, shape them into balls and dust with a little flour.
4. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand and then your fingers, pressing it out on a floured surface, and then roll out into a 12cm disc. Brush a thin layer of ghee or melted butter on top and sprinkle with flour, then fold the disc in half. Apply another thin layer of ghee or butter and sprinkle with a little more flour over it, then fold in half once more to form a triangle. Press the triangle of dough firmly and roll out with a rolling pin, maintaining the shape.
5. Cook the breads on a flat griddle or frying pan over a medium heat. Once they are speckled with brown, brush both sides with ghee or butter and cook for another 30 seconds or so per side, until golden brown. Serve hot.
Variation: Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds to make jeera paratha
MINT CHUTNEY
Ingredients
25g fresh mint leaves
100g coriander leaves
2 green chillies, deseeded
Small piece of ginger
1 green apple, peeled and deseeded
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 or 3 ice cubes
Method
1. Place all the ingredients in a blender along with ice cubes. Blend until the mixture is blended to a puree. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. The mint chutney is also lovely mixed with greek yoghurt.
Kitchen Cabinet is a series of recipes from chefs who are members of Euro-toques Ireland who have come together during the coronavirus outbreak to share some of the easy, tasty things that they like to cook and eat at home #ChefsAtHome
