Tangy Pickled Chicken
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 lb chicken pieces (bone or boneless)
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, grated
1″ ginger, grated
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tomato, pureed
3 green chiles
salt
oil
chopped cilantro for garnish
For the pickling sauce
4 dry red chiles
1 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp nigella
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1″ cinnamon stick
3 cloves
Instructions:
Dry roast all the ingredients for pickling sauce individually until they change the color to a darker shade and start releasing aroma. Cool them and grate to a fine dust.
In a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice, add the lemon zest and the pickling sauce powder.
Slit 3 green chiles and add it to the bowl. Mix it well and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
In a hot pan, add 2 tbs oil and saute garlic, ginger and onion. Season it with salt. Then, add the turmeric powder and fry until the onion get golden brown in color. Once done, cool it for while and blend it to a fine paste.
Pour it back in the pan and add the chicken pieces. Bring the heat to low and keep cooking for about 10 minutes.
Next, add the pickling sauce, tomato puree and yogurt and continue cooking in low heat for another 10 minutes.
If the chicken is not cooked through, add some water and continue cooking till the chicken is properly cooked. Taste for salt and add if required.
Garnish it with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with hot rice or naan.
From sunshineandsmile.com