Nawabi Chicken at Tulsi and Wine is a dish both royal and Michelin-recommended. Created by his dad, Chef Jay Kumar prepared this authentic dish and showed me and one of our influencers, Enoch (www.thefoodietrail.com), how to cook it. Try this yourself at home, in Tulsi and Wine way.
Ingredients
- 200-250 gram minced lamb
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- Cumin Seed x ½ tablespoon
- Curry leaf x 2-3
- Chilly (1-2) chopped
- Garlic – 3
- Small red onion x 2-3
- Green chilly – half
- Ginger as needed (for flavours only)
- Fresh coriander leaf
- Onion – 1
- Tomato – 1
- Water – ½ cup
- Egg yolk – 1
- Turmeric powder x ½ tablespoon
- Coriander powder x 1 tablespoon
- Cumin powder x 1tablespoon
- Chilly powder x ½ tablespoon
- Whiskey x ½-1 shot
- Lemon juice x 1 tablespoon
- Sugar x a pint
Tandoori chicken
- Chicken leg x 1/2kg
- Ginger Garlic paste x 2 tablespoon
- Lemon juice x 100g
- Vegetable oil x 100g
- Salt x according to flavor
- Chilly powder x 1 tablespoon
- Curry powder x 1 tablespoon
- Coriander powder x ½ tablespoon
- Cumin powder x ½ tablespoon
- Yoghurt x 2 tablespoon
Prepare the Ingredients
Different types of spice powder are already measured and prepared in bowls by Jay prior to our cooking session.
How to prepare the tandoori chicken
Marinate the chicken drumsticks with all the ingredients and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Preheat the oven for 220 degree. Grill the drumsticks for 10 minutes.
This process is meant to slow cook them so that they remain tender on the inside. Set to a higher temperature of 260 degree and grill for another 5 minutes.
Mix the Ingredients
Pre-heat a pan over medium heat and lightly oil it. When the oil starts to sizzle, add cumin seeds and red onions until the onions turn brown, and then garlic.
Add garlic only after adding onions so that the garlic won’t turn bitter, as suggested by Jay! Add the tomato and gently cook it until it is soft. Sprinkle the chopped chillies and all the spice powder until there comes the reddish colour and oil.
The Main Character
Add the lamb, along with the whisky shot and the half cup of water. Stir fry the lamb and add fresh green chillies. During the cooking session, Jay prepared us with onion sauce made of onion, garlic, and spice and tomato sauce to pour onto the lamb.
If you’re cooking this at home, this step has already been simplified – everything in the pan prepared prior to adding the lamb work perfectly as the sauce that engulfs the meat with the right amount of moisture and flavour.
Season lightly with lemon juice and sugar to further enrich the flavor. Adjust the seasoning to your liking with salt. Now that the lamb is ready to go, microwave the drumsticks for 30 seconds to warm them back up.
Dress The Dish
Plate the drumsticks. Stuff the ring mold with minced lamb and place the raw egg yolk on top. Remove the ring, leaving the ring-shaped pile on the plate. Garnish the dish with fresh coriander leaves, and serve with bread or rice.
Drinks to Pair With?
For authentic Indian taste, pair the dish with Indian beer or lime soda. Jay recommended not to pair with mango lassi, as it is too rich that it may out-flavour the lamb.
Quote of the day
“The base is all about onions, ginger, garlic, cumin, and tomatoes. The same base. It sounds easy, but you need passion to cook with. We don’t put nuts here. We stick with the base. Some people are allergic to nuts. And in this way, we’d be careful and make sure it’s all safe here.”
As a photographer, Stephanie believes natural wonders are great teachers and is constantly learning from local people with different backgrounds. With a BSc degree in Psychology and MSc Double degree in Global Media and Communications, she loves looking for the new and the adventurous, never settles.
