How to cook… Chicken Kolhapuri

Serves 4 as a main dish

Chicken Kolhapuri is a rich, hot dish is from the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra but is popular all over India, especially in the south west. The chicken is marinated, then a masala mix created. These are then added to sauce of onions and tomatoes to create this extremely tasty curry.

What you need…
• 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 Tablespoons oil
• 600ml Base Curry Sauce
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 green chillies (2 chopped and two sliced for garnish)
• A few coriander leaves to garnish (optional)

Marinade
• 6 Tablespoons yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1.5 teaspoons chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste

Masala
• 15 curry leaves
• 4 peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamons, cracked
• 2 star anise
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chillies
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 Tablespoons desiccated

How to make it…
1. Mix all the marinade ingredients and add the chicken. Make sure all the pieces are coated and set aside for 2 hours.
2. Dry fry all the masala ingredients in a pan until they release their aromas (about 2 minutes). Grind them into a powder and set aside.
3. Heat the oil to a medium heat, add the Base Curry Sauce and cook through for 5 minutes.
4. Add the chilli powder, the 2 chopped green chillies, tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the masala, mix well and cook for 5 minutes, adding a little water as needed.
6. Add the chicken and marinade, stir well, cover and cook until all the chicken is cooked through (about 10–15 minutes).
7. Garnish with the sliced chillies and/or (optional) coriander leaves and serve.

CHEF’S TIP
If the heat is too much for you then skip adding the chilli powder at stage 4.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza

Heat lovers will be flying high with this super spicy chicken dish.

How to cook… Tali Machli (Spicy Fried Fish)

Serves 4 as a snack

Tali Machli (Spicy Fried Fish) is a popular street food snack eaten all over India but is especially popular in coastal Maharashtra. It’s lightly spiced so you don’t need a sauce, which makes it ideal for eating on the move, but it’s also delicious with your favourite chutney or pickle.

What you need…
• 500g white fish, skinned and cut into four, even-sized fillets
• 60g gram flour
• 40g rice flour
• 10 Tablespoons oil
• 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds

Marinade
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or white wine vinegar)
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
• 0.5 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 0.5 teaspoon salt

How to make it…
1. Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients together to form a thick paste and rub it over the fillets. Leave for 1 hour.
3. Cover the fillets in the gram flour then in the rice flour, ensuring all parts are well covered.
4. Heat the oil to a medium-high heat in a wide, pan, add the mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the fillets and shallow fry until the fish is cooked through and the batter crisp (about 3 minutes on each side).

CHEF’S TIP
If you want to spice up the batter you can add a teaspoon of chilli powder to the marinade.

Fried fish marinated in a spices then fried is a popular street snack in India.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza

You should try this fried fish recipe… You wont find anything batter.