As much as you're stuck up with the notion that India still fancies those little cart-style joints that churned out the most delicious Indo-Chinese food - Think again. They've moved on. The food scene in India has changed. So much so that I was left dumbfounded when I saw pasta at a popular Pizza chain. Oh yes, I was fully stumped when the waiter offered me a choice of Fusilli or Penne with my alfredo sauce, since I did not want fettucine. Now, why am I discussing Italian cuisine when we're here to deal with Indo-Chinese? Oh well... End of the day... Food is food is food! And, in truth, this post is to update all you people who were ignorant (until now), like me, in estimating India's culinary growth. Be enlightened!
Coming to the availability of world cuisine. All you got to do is ask for it. There's probably some place in some corner of every city that imports, makes or grows the ingredient or food you're looking for. My joy knew no bounds when I discovered I can get the freshest of cold cuts from a store cum deli very close to my office. Oh yes, that's another thing that's kept me off the blog. I landed myself a job a couple weeks ago. Just getting into the groove of work-life after a sabbatical of six years, really. So now. Back to the topic. The office is so beautifully located, I seem to find restaurants serving just about all cuisines in the world. I've downed Italian and Mexican and I can say, the taste is very authentic (or at least as authentic as these cuisines are in America).
All the while that I was at home before I took up the job here in India, I tried to put in efforts to prepare different types of dishes. It is certainly nice to see everyone enjoy something off the monotony. On one such Sunday, I dished out these uber-succulent indo-chinese style spicy chicken lollypops to go with fried rice. Yum-o!
If I've given you enough reasons to go beyond Indian cooking, then you should probably try out this currently-in-vogue-everywhere dish. Perfectly trimmed chicken wings, appropriately cut and formed into little pops, marinated in a spicy sauce, dipped in batter, deep-fried to golden crunchiness and then bathed in a seasoning of soy sauce, onions and chillies.
Oh my gosh. Someone please either make this for me NOW or buy it from somewhere. I am DROOOLING!!
I've talked enough about the ease with which you can get ingredients in India. Here's to another tidbit. You even get chicken wings made into lollypops in leading meat stores. If you can find a butcher, you can even ask him to do it for you.
Ingredients for the Marinade
20 to 24 Chicken wings prepared to make lollipops, washed (Procedure below)
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tbsp Garam Masala
2-3 tbsp Red chillie powder (adjust per taste)
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
And, of course, some salt to taste!
Ingredients for the Batter
1 Egg
1 Cup All purpose flour (Maida)
1/2 Cup Corn flour (fine)
1 tsp Red Chillie powder (optional)
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
A pinch of Red Food Colouring (optional)
Oil, for deep frying
And, of course, some salt to taste!
Ingredients for the Stir-fry Sauce
1 Bunch of Scallions, julienned
2 Red Onions, finely chopped
1 Small onion, diced
8-10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
3-4 Green chillies, slit (adjust per taste)
2-3 tbsp Soy sauce
Oil
Now, let's get down to making these yum-de-dum pops shall we?
Method to Prepare Chicken Wings and their marination
- Split each chicken wing into two parts at the point where it is joint
- Pull back the meat from one end of the bone over the other.
- Make sure you do not pull the meat out entirely
- Your chicken wing is now, officially, a lollipop
- Now, for the marinade, mix all the ingredients listed under 'Ingredients for the Marinade' in a large bowl
- Dunk in the prepared chicken lollypops and stir
- Close bowl and store in the fridge until you prepare your batter
[An alternative (Easier and Food Network chefs recommend it too!) method would be to toss it all in a zip-top bag, add chicken and give it a good shimmy-shake to coat completely and pop in the refridgerator]
Method to Prepare Batter and fry lollypops
- Pour oil in a large wok on medium flame
- While the oil heats up, get the batter ready by mixing all the ingredients listed under ' Ingredients for the Batter' in a large bowl. Add just enough water to make a thick, dip-able consistency batter
- Toss in the marinated lollypops in batter and deep fry until crispy. If you're like me, you may lust at the sight of the chicken at this step itself. But hang in there... It only gets better here on!
- Drain fried lollypops on kitchen towel
- Method to Prepare Stir-fry Sauce
- Heat about 2-3 tbsp oil in another wok
- Toss in the sliced garlic, green chillies and onion and stir try
- Add soy sauce and fry until its all well-blended
- Throw in the julienned scallions and stir fry
- Finally, add the deep fried chicken lollypops
- Serve hot
Serves 10-12
Coming to the availability of world cuisine. All you got to do is ask for it. There's probably some place in some corner of every city that imports, makes or grows the ingredient or food you're looking for. My joy knew no bounds when I discovered I can get the freshest of cold cuts from a store cum deli very close to my office. Oh yes, that's another thing that's kept me off the blog. I landed myself a job a couple weeks ago. Just getting into the groove of work-life after a sabbatical of six years, really. So now. Back to the topic. The office is so beautifully located, I seem to find restaurants serving just about all cuisines in the world. I've downed Italian and Mexican and I can say, the taste is very authentic (or at least as authentic as these cuisines are in America).
All the while that I was at home before I took up the job here in India, I tried to put in efforts to prepare different types of dishes. It is certainly nice to see everyone enjoy something off the monotony. On one such Sunday, I dished out these uber-succulent indo-chinese style spicy chicken lollypops to go with fried rice. Yum-o!
If I've given you enough reasons to go beyond Indian cooking, then you should probably try out this currently-in-vogue-everywhere dish. Perfectly trimmed chicken wings, appropriately cut and formed into little pops, marinated in a spicy sauce, dipped in batter, deep-fried to golden crunchiness and then bathed in a seasoning of soy sauce, onions and chillies.
Oh my gosh. Someone please either make this for me NOW or buy it from somewhere. I am DROOOLING!!
I've talked enough about the ease with which you can get ingredients in India. Here's to another tidbit. You even get chicken wings made into lollypops in leading meat stores. If you can find a butcher, you can even ask him to do it for you.
Ingredients for the Marinade
20 to 24 Chicken wings prepared to make lollipops, washed (Procedure below)
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tbsp Garam Masala
2-3 tbsp Red chillie powder (adjust per taste)
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
And, of course, some salt to taste!
Ingredients for the Batter
1 Egg
1 Cup All purpose flour (Maida)
1/2 Cup Corn flour (fine)
1 tsp Red Chillie powder (optional)
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
A pinch of Red Food Colouring (optional)
Oil, for deep frying
And, of course, some salt to taste!
Ingredients for the Stir-fry Sauce
1 Bunch of Scallions, julienned
2 Red Onions, finely chopped
1 Small onion, diced
8-10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
3-4 Green chillies, slit (adjust per taste)
2-3 tbsp Soy sauce
Oil
Now, let's get down to making these yum-de-dum pops shall we?
Method to Prepare Chicken Wings and their marination
- Split each chicken wing into two parts at the point where it is joint
- Pull back the meat from one end of the bone over the other.
- Make sure you do not pull the meat out entirely
- Your chicken wing is now, officially, a lollipop
- Now, for the marinade, mix all the ingredients listed under 'Ingredients for the Marinade' in a large bowl
- Dunk in the prepared chicken lollypops and stir
- Close bowl and store in the fridge until you prepare your batter
[An alternative (Easier and Food Network chefs recommend it too!) method would be to toss it all in a zip-top bag, add chicken and give it a good shimmy-shake to coat completely and pop in the refridgerator]
Method to Prepare Batter and fry lollypops
- Pour oil in a large wok on medium flame
- While the oil heats up, get the batter ready by mixing all the ingredients listed under ' Ingredients for the Batter' in a large bowl. Add just enough water to make a thick, dip-able consistency batter
- Toss in the marinated lollypops in batter and deep fry until crispy. If you're like me, you may lust at the sight of the chicken at this step itself. But hang in there... It only gets better here on!
- Drain fried lollypops on kitchen towel
- Method to Prepare Stir-fry Sauce
- Heat about 2-3 tbsp oil in another wok
- Toss in the sliced garlic, green chillies and onion and stir try
- Add soy sauce and fry until its all well-blended
- Throw in the julienned scallions and stir fry
- Finally, add the deep fried chicken lollypops
- Serve hot
Serves 10-12
Simply delicious looking chicken lollipop. Wonderful looking pics.
ReplyDeleteDeepa
delicious flavours
ReplyDeletepicture looks wonderful
Irresistible and droolworthy lollypops..
ReplyDeletewelcome back dear :)you should open a restaurant like nanking!
ReplyDelete