CHICKEN CHAAP - KOLKATA STYLE ( MUGHLAI CUISINE )

This Mughlai Cuisine is one of the most favorite dishes that are being consumed and sold in West Bengal. This dish can also be prepared with mutton as well, which is also quite in demand. Just like the mutton version would require pieces of ribs . Chicken Chaap is quite commonly a famous side dish ordered along with Chicken Biryani or Mutton Biryani .In my style of cooking this dish will have it's unique method of an easy cooking process and with a complete recipe which you can enjoy in your platter.

Chicken Chaap can also be served with Laccha Paratha or any Roti of your choice.

Flat vessel to be used for cooking this dish on low to medium flame.

INGREDIENTS :-

1. 1000 gms Chicken with bones ( Leg Piece - A whole chicken cut in 4 pieces )
2. 300 gms Onion
3. 250 gms desi ghee
4. 250 gms of white oil ( soybean / corn-oil )
5. 1 Garlic flower full -peeled
6. 10 Grams of ginger
7. 2 green chilies
8. 2 Table spoon of sugar
9. 1/2 Tea Spoon of Kashmiri Chilli powder
10. 500 gms of hung Yogurt
11. 1 Table spoon Black Pepper
12. 1/2 Table Spoon White Pepper
13. 20 gms Poppy Seeds (Posto / Khus Khus)
14. 10 gms  of Chick Peas seeds (Charmagaz)
15. 2 Table spoon Chana sattu
16. 4 cloves
17. 1 cinnamon stick
18. 4 green cardamom
19. 1 big black cardamom
20. 10 gms of Fennel  seeds ( Saunf )
21. 1 star anise
22. 1 Bay Leaf
23. 2 flowers of Javitri
24. Quarter piece of Nutmeg
25. 2 Red chilies
26. Half table spoon Shah Jeera (whole)
27. Half Table Spoon ( Coriander seeds )
28. Salt (as per taste)
29. Half Tea spoon-turmeric powder
30. Pinch of Yellow or Saffron Color
31. One tea spoon rose water
32. Quarter tea spoon Mitha Atar / Kewda Water
33. 1/2 Tea cup of Milk
34. Pinch of Saffron Strands

RECEIPE -

Garam Masala Mix  -

1. Dry roast - Bay Leaf,cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, big black cardamom, star anise,  Javitri, Nutmeg, Red chilies, Shah Jeera, Coriander seeds , Fennel
2. Let the masala cool down for few minutes once roasted.
3. Dry grind the masala and keep aside.

 PREPARATION -

Marination Prep -

1. Clean the chicken pieces and make deep cuts on all of the pieces for the marination to properly coat the chicken.
2. Take a bowl and add the garlic & ginger paste (half of the complete ingredients) , black pepper ,salt , white pepper ,turmeric powder , red kashmiri chilly powder 
3. Then add the hung yogurt and marinate the chicken by rubbing the marination in to the raw meat gently massaging the whole chicken.
4. Cover the chicken and refrigerate the marination for at-least 2 to 3 hours.

Brown Paste - 

1. Chop the onions .
2. Fry the onion into golden brown and soak the extra oil in a tissue paper bed made on a flat dish. Keep it aside to cool down.
3. Once the onion has cooled down ,make a paste of the same.

White Paste -

1. Soak the Cashew , Poppy seeds , and Charmagaz for 15 mns.
2. Make a fine paste of all the three items.
3. Keep it aside.

Final Stage - 

1. Heat a fry pan with  white oil enough to shallow fry the chicken .
2. Put the flame on medium or low heat and fry the chicken. The frying is used to get the masala mix(marination) to get a coat but the chicken should not fry much.
3. Keep the chicken pieces aside. In the same pan add the ghee and the balance oil into the pan.
4. Add the Brown paste now and stir then mix in the oil in low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Now add the White paste and keep on stirring the for next 5 minutes in low flame.
6. Add the saffron in  Luke warm milk and then add it to the mix after keeping it for 2 minutes.
7. Mix the food color in normal water then mix it well and add it to the mixture.
8. Add the rose water and the kewda water.
9. Add salt to taste.Stir the mixture when you see the oil separating from the mixture.
10. Now add the chicken into the gravy..
11. Toss and turn the chicken in the gravy from time to time till the chicken is properly cooked.
12. Now your Chicken chaap is ready to be served.

This is an amazing chicken gravy item which is served with Biryani , Paratha or Roti (Bread) of your own choice.