Here’s another great chicken recipe from Chicken Farmers of Canada: Crispy pakoras give way to warm chicken and tangy yogurt, lemon juice and spices inside. Pass me another one please!
Ingredients:
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ cup (125 mL) plain yogurt, 1-2% MF
1 jalapeño
½ cup (125 mL) onion, chopped
2 tsp (10 mL) ginger, fresh, chopped
1 clove garlic
2 tsp (10 mL) white vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
2 cups (500 mL) chickpea flour (besan)
2 cups (500 mL) cold water
½ tsp (2.5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2.5 mL) chili powder
½ tsp (2.5 mL) cumin, ground
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) turmeric, ground
1 red pepper, medium, diced
4 oz (114 g) mushrooms, sliced
1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced or diced
1 cup (250 mL) corn, frozen
oil for deep frying, enough for about 4 inches (10 cm) in heavy pot, sauce pan or deep fryer (approximately 1 quart / 945 mL)
Preparation:
1. Make chicken marinade by pureeing the yogurt, jalapeño, onion, ginger, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice in the blender.
2. Cut chicken thighs into 4-6 pieces each and place in plastic zip lock bag. Pour in marinade, seal and use your hands to cover pieces with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken pieces and place on plate. Discard marinade.
3. Make the batter by combining chick pea flour (besan), cold water, salt, chili powder, ground cumin and turmeric. Stir until smooth and lumps are dissolved. The batter thickens somewhat as it sits. The texture should be that of a thick pancake batter. If not, add a little more besan or water as needed.
4. Heat oil in pot or deep fryer. Dip chicken pieces into the batter, one by one, and fry in hot oil until cooked through and golden brown – about 4 to 5 minutes. Fry the first piece solo to make sure the oil is hot enough and the batter is thick enough. The chicken pakoras should start to brown and float to the surface. Fry remaining pakoras and drain on paper towel. Place on a tray and keep warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven.
5. Prepare the vegetable fritters by adding the corn, peppers, mushrooms and sweet potato to the chick pea batter. Stir to combine. Alternatively, you can divide the batter and omit the sweet potato from the vegetable fritter above and coat and fry them separately. With a big spoon remove vegetables with some batter and add to the hot oil and fry until golden. Remove and drain on paper towel.
6. Serve with mint chutney (recipe follows).
Yogurt Mint Chutney
1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt, 1-2% MF
2 tsp (10 mL) sugar
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) salt
2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh mint, minced
1 sprig fresh mint (optional garnish)
Preparation:
1. To make the chutney, combine the yogurt, sugar, minced mint and salt in a small bowl. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve with the warm pakoras.
Note: This gluten-free recipe makes about 35-40 pieces of pakoras. The batter calls for chickpea flour (baisen) which you can buy at an Indian specialty market or many health food and bulk stores. Many ethnic foods can also be purchased online. The chili powder in Indian recipes is hot – like cayenne powder. You can even use the Mexican style chili powder if you prefer a less spicy version.
Serve with the simple mint chutney or your favourite Indian style condiments. Pakoras are also good with tomato ketchup or even barbecue sauce.
NUTRIENTS*
Calories 310
Protein (g) 27
Total Fat (g) 7
Saturated Fat (g) 2
Carbohydrate (g) 35
Fibre (g) 5
Cholesterol 65
% DV
Sodium 18
Potassium 24
Calcium 15
Iron 15
Vitamin A 6
Vitamin C 80
Folate 1
Vitamin B12 32
*The nutrient analysis does not include the oil for the deep frying.
For hundreds of great chicken recipes, food safety tips, cooking advice and lots more, visit www.chicken.ca or our blog at www.chickenfeeds.ca.
