Chicken Cafreal

I was born and brought up in a beautiful place - Goa. A place known for its natural beauty, people and ofcourse cuisine!!!!!  I moved to Delhi a few years back. Delhi is extremely different from what Goa is but I  guess every city has its own charm. After the initial struggle of coping with climate and the life here, I now thoroughly enjoy this city. Though I like Delhi i terribly miss Goa. I have come to realize how important it is for me to have Goan cuisine as a regular in my menu coz probably that is the closest I can get to Goa being in Delhi!!!!

Chicken cafreal is a Goan delicacy. As history has it, its one of the Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine. Its a delicious preparation. Though its suppose to be a dry preparation, many prefer to have a bit thick gravy along with it....the joy of soaking the gravy up in torrad pav (goan bread)....its divine!!!!

I have tried various versions of this dish and have finally come up with this recipe. The cafreal masala ( the recipe given below) can be prepared and stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. It stays good for days.

Recipe of Chicken Cafreal

Ingredients:

1/2 kg chicken

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp sugar

pinch of garam masala

salt to taste

To be ground into a paste

15 cloves of garlic

2" ginger

3/4 cup coriander leaves

8 peppercorns

1" cinnamon

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp tamarind pulp

1 lemon(juice)

5 green chillies

5 cloves

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp khus khus

1/2 tsp jeera

1/4 tsp haldi

Method:

• Wash the chicken and pat dry.
• Make incisions on the chicken.
• Add all the ingredients of the ground masala in a mixie and grind to a fine paste.
• Apply the ground masala along with salt to the chicken and marinate for atleast 4-5 hours (preserve some of the marination).
• Heat a pan on medium flame. Add the oil and butter, once its heated add the marinated chicken along with the marination.
• Fry the chicken on a high flame for 2-3 mins. Then turn the flame to sim and cover the pan. Let the chicken cook on a low flame.
• Once the chicken is cooked, turn the flame to high and dry the entire marination. Once the marination has dried, fry all the chicken pieces on a high flame for 2-3 mins.
• Once the chicken is cooked, take another pan add a bit of butter and oil and on a high flame add the remaining marinate, 1/2 tsp of sugar and salt and a pinch of garam masala and add the chicken and see that the masala coats the chicken.
• serve with french fries and torrad pav !!!

Tips:

• You can marinate the chicken overnight. The more time it marinates the better will be the taste.
• You can also add vinegar esp. the Goan vinegar, that will give an authentic taste, however if you do not have it you can skip.....like i mostly do.
• This is a dry preparation. however you could have a bit of the thick gravy if you like!!!
• The amount of green chillies can be varied according to your taste.
• Squeeze lemon before serving it balances all the flavours.
• To make the tamarind pulp soak tamarind in hot water for sometime, squeeze well and sieve. Alternatively, add water to the tamarind and microwave covered for 1 minute. Keep aside for 2 mins, squeeze well and sieve.
• You can use the cafreal masala with any veggies too.
• This preparation can be served as a starter.
• The garam masala powder can be avoided.