“The best fried chicken ever…and my sister has a fried chicken shop.” Those were the words of a guest at one of my most recent private dinner parties, and who this recipe is dedicated to. Make this chicken for people that you care about – they’ll love you even more for it.
Ghati Masala is a traditional spice mix of central Maharashtra regions such as Satara, Sangali, Kolhapur. It’s vibrant and full of complexity, but takes a little longer to make than most other spice blends, which is why I’ve scaled up the recipe so that you have your own stash of Ghati Masala to use in other dishes. This blend is great sprinkled over samosas, stirred though dhal or used whilst making chutneys.
The tomato chutney that I use in this recipe in my own which I tend to always have a jar of in the fridge, it’s really quick to make and compliments the chicken perfectly, but a good quality shop-bought spiced tomato chutney would do just fine also.
The real not-so-secret trick to getting succulent, juicy chicken is to marinate it in buttermilk overnight – this is the key! The acidity of the buttermilk helps to break down the protein structures of the chicken, resulting in perfectly tender chicken.
Ghati Masala Chicken Wings
Course: Side, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium4
servings20
minutes20
minutesovernight
The real not-so-secret trick to getting succulent, juicy chicken is to marinate it in buttermilk overnight – this is the key!
Ingredients
- Ghati Masala
200 g dried kashmiri red chillies
4 bay leaves
2 star anise
10 black cardamom
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
2 tsp peanut oil, or sunflower oil
2large onions, finely sliced
10cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
75 g desiccated coconut
- Fried Chicken Wings
500 g chicken wings, wing tips removed
2 tsp garlic ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
300 ml buttermilk
100 g rice flour
100 g cornflour
1 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Spiced tomato chutney
2 tbsp pickled red onion
coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, finely sliced
Directions
- Ghati Masala
- Dry roast the Kashmiri chillies, bay leaves, star anise, black cardamom, cumin, sesame, coriander and nigella seeds over a medium heat until slightly browned and aromatic. Transfer to a bowl to cool down.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil to the same pan then add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic cloves, cook for a further minute then transfer to a food processor to cool down. Add the desiccated coconut and toast till golden, transfer to a food processor along with the rest of the dry roasted ingredients. Allow to completely cool before blitzing to a coarse powder. Store in a sterilised jar in the fridge for no longer than two weeks.
- Fried Chicken Wings
- Place the chicken wings in a bowl, along with the garlic and ginger paste, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder, buttermilk and a pinch of salt. Mix well then cover and leave to marinate overnight.
- Preheat a deep-fat fryer or large, deep pan oil oil to 160°C.
- Make the coating by combining the flours, garam masala, turmeric and a good pinch of salt. One by one, dredge the wings in the flour mix. Once the oil has gotten to temperature, deep-fry the coated wings in batches for 10-12 minutes, until crisp and golden.
- To serve, place spoonfuls of the tomato chutney on a serving platter, arrange the wings on top with more chutney. Then scatter 1 to 2 tablespoons of Ghati masala, pickled red onions, coriander leaves, and chilli.
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