South Indian · serves 2

Chicken Ghee Roast

Mangalorean, fiery, sticky and dry. Not a curry — nothing to soak up, all coating.

45 min A proper cook Non-vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 700g chicken, bone-in
  • 1/2 cup curd
  • 12 dried kashmiri chillies
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp fennel
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
  • 1 tsp jaggery
  • 6 tbsp ghee
  • 25 curry leaves

Method

  1. Marinate the chicken in curd, turmeric and salt for 30 minutes.
  2. Dry roast the chillies and whole spices till fragrant, then grind with garlic and tamarind into a smooth paste.
  3. Ghee — and use all of it, that's the name of the dish. Fry the chicken till browned on all sides. Take out.
  4. The paste into the same ghee. Fry on low 12 minutes until it darkens and the ghee separates out.
  5. Chicken back in with jaggery and a splash of water. Cook 15 minutes, tossing, until it's dry and coating.
  6. Curry leaves fried in ghee thrown over at the end.

Questions people ask about Chicken Ghee Roast

How long does Chicken Ghee Roast take?

About 45 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a proper cook. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

What can I use instead of chicken in Chicken Ghee Roast?

Use paneer, firm tofu or mushrooms. All three cook far faster than chicken, so add them in the last 5 minutes rather than at the start.

Can I make Chicken Ghee Roast ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Can I make Chicken Ghee Roast vegetarian?

Yes. Replace the chicken with paneer, firm tofu, mushrooms or soya chunks. All of them cook far faster than meat, so add them in the last five minutes rather than at the start, and keep the masala exactly as written.

What do you serve with Chicken Ghee Roast?

Steamed rice with a spoon of ghee, and a papad if you have one. It serves two as written. Double everything to feed four, but use a wider pan so the food still browns rather than steams.

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Read more on the technique

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