1/2tspmeetha attaroptional, only for the fragrance
For the Poppy Seed Paste
2tbsppoppy seeds
2tbspchar magaz
1bowlwaterfor soaking
For the Ginger Garlic Chilly Paste
4pcmedium sized onions
2pcgreen chilly
1tspKashmiri red chilly
3inchginger
9-12pcgarlic cloves
For the Chicken Chaap Spice Mix
1inchcinnamon stick
3pccardamom pods
2pccloves
1/3pcnutmeg
1pcmace
Instructions
Preparing the Chicken Marinade for Chicken Chaap
In a mixie, prepare a paste of all ingredients mentioned under "For the Poppy Seed Paste"
Prepare a paste of all ingredients mentioned under "For the Ginger Garlic Chilly Paste"
Similarly, prepare a paste mix of all ingredients mentioned under "For the Chicken Chaap Spice Mix"
Take a large bowl enough to hold the chicken leg pieces and the marinade
Add curd, sattu and meetha attar to the bowl
Add all the three paste mix prepared in the previous steps
Give it a nice stir and ensure that there are no lumps
Put a couple of slits on each side of the chicken leg pieces and add them to the marinade in the bowl
Massage for a few minutes
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. For best results, allow to rest overnight in the refrigerator
Cooking the Chicken Chaap
Take out the marinaded chicken from refrigerator and allow to come to a room temperature
Take a large flat bottomed wok and put the flame on medium
Add oil/dalda/ghee and allow this to heat. Since the quality of oil or ghee is large, it will take some time
Once hot, add the pieces of leg one by one
Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side
Add the rest of the marinade to the flat bottomed wok
Put the flame on very low, cover and cook for around 10 minutes. Uncover, check and change sides after 10 minutes
Repeat the same process for another 10 minutes
Add salt and allow to simmer for another couple of minutes
Check for seasonings and adjust if required
Put off the flame
Serve hot with a pulao, or parantha or biryani
Notes
If you are using mustard oil for the chicken chaap recipe, ensure that the mustard oil is burnt properly before proceeding with it. Since a lot of oil is added, the final result can have the pungency of the mustard which may not be appreciated. Indeed, I made the same mistake
Dalda is recommended because of its flavor profile. However, dalda is unhealthy. Once in a while is okay.
At Royal Indian Hotel, they also use meetha attar for the fragrance. It is not mandatory and you can skip it
Instead of Sattu, you can also use Besan or Bengal gram flour. Ensure that you roast it lightly before adding to the marinade
You can also add a few strands of saffron strands to the marinade. I have skipped it to keep the cost down