Topic: Kushi pre-cooked chicken

[Razor]

This recipe comes for the "Authentic Balti Curry" cookbook ISBN 141205592 - X

1 kg of chicken breast fillet, cut into 1 inch cubes.

15-20g (about 4-5 cloves) garlic
20g fresh peeled ginger (similar to the amount of garlic)

1/4 tsp chilli powder
3/4 tsp tumeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp (90ml) vegetable oil
A 200g tin of chopped tomato.

Take the chicken breast fillets and cut into one inch cubes and set aside.

place garlic and ginger into a blender, and reduce to a paste using around 2 tbsp of cold water to help make it smooth.

Set this aside.

Then into a seperate bowl place all the powdered spices - along with the salt.

Give this a very thorough mix to make sure they're all combined.

Set aside.

Pour the vegetable oil into a large saucepan or wok, and place onto a high heat.

Add the garlic and ginger, and fry until it's golden brown, stirring regularly.  It may spit to start with.

Take it off the heat and add the spice mixture.

Again, put it back on a LOW heat, and stir constantly for a few seconds, so the spices don't burn.

Add the tomatoes, and bring back to the boil, while stirring.

Add the chicken, and mix well.

Simmer for five minutes stirring regularly.

Then cover and simmer for a further ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take off the heat.

The pre-cooked chicken is now ready, and once cooled, can be refrigerated.  It can be eaten on it's own as a very mild dish (although not a complete curry) and is particularly popular with children.

My own personal observations: 

This has a very moorish taste and a sweetness that adds to the final dish.  I personally dice the chicken larger than suggested in the recipe, and I dont simmer for quite as long, perhaps about 6 minutes.  This produces really juicy peices of chicken in the final dish.

Ray

[joshallen2k]

Precooking technique is an area where I feel there's work to be done.

I don't think I've seen a recipe for precooking that uses tomatoes as the bulk of the liquid that the chicken is cooked in.

I think I will give this a go to see if it gets the chicken closer to what I recall from BIRs.

Thanks for posting this.

-- Josh

[JerryM]

Razor,

thanks for adding isbn. will have to treat myself towards the summer hols.

i'd picked up too on the impact of the meat on the final dish taste.

the 6 mins sits well - i feel i play a game of chicken and fall before 5 mins is up (probably between 3 & 4 mins). timings clearly depend on how much "hot" the simmer is. i use the ashoka marinated.

[Razor]

Hi Josh,

It's definately worth a try mate.  Just make sure that when you add it to your final dish, you get a good chef's spoonful of the juices as well,  and put it in right at the end of your dish as it only needs heating up, not cooking any further!!!

Ray

[joshallen2k]

Razor, I made this precooked Balti chicken, and quite liked it.

I made a korma and a Madras, and used this chicken in both.

I was concerned at first, as once I drained the chicken, it was still well-caked with tomato. I thought that would kill the korma, for one.

Both dishes turned out great. I used the CA korma recipe for the first time, and liked the results a lot. Not sure about the garlic though.

My conclusion - did it produce a tasty precooked chicken? Yes for sure.

Did it improve upon the tenderness factor that BIRs seem to have? Not really. I hoped the tomato juice addition might have a tenderizing effect on the meat, but if there was one, it was negligible.

Great post nonetheless.

-- Josh

[Razor]

Hi Josh,

Glad you liked it, even though it wasn't a breakthru in BIR terms.  With regards to the tenderness,  If you follow the recipe to the letter, I't doesn't give you what your looking for.  I reduce the simmer times on both occaisons to a max of about 6 mins in total. 

The way I see it is, if it is not cooked right the way through, it should finish off nicely in the final dish, giving me a much more tender meat.  It's still not "melt in the mouth" chicken,  but it's not like eating the sole of your shoe either lol ;D

Thanks for giving it a go,

Ray

P.S,  What do you mean "drained the chicken"  please don't tell me that you threw the juices away   I usually put it in the final dish

[JerryM]

please don't tell me that you threw the juices away   I usually put it in the final dish

interesting that. i ditch them too. i wonder what BIR's do - i just can't see them throwing anything away.

[Razor]

Jerry,

Im certain that they go in.  They will make these pre-cooked meats by the bucket load, so when they ladle out a portion, naturally, they will have some of the cooking juices in there.

Please, use the juices, it has that "curry taste" which HAS to add to the final dish, I'm convinced of it!

Ray

[JerryM]

Razor,

i've added it onto my growing list. i've tried chicken stock in the past and it was not it for sure. this could well give a more subtle taste. i will try adding at dish cooking. i feel if they do use it then it must go into the next base.

all the best,