The Methi & Chickpea tikki with Red cabbage Achar  (Serves 4)

Ingredients

For the tikki 

• 300g Fresh Methi (Feugreek leaves)
• 200g Cooked Chickpeas
• 100g Boiled Potatoes (Grated)
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 20g Green chilli
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 20ml Vegetable oil
• Salt (to taste)

For the Achar / Pickle 

• 250g Red cabbage
• 50ml Vinegar
• 5ml Vegetable oil
• ½ tsp Mustard
• 1 Whole red chilli
• Salt (to taste)

Method

Prep for Tikki:  10 mins

•  Roughly chop the methi and green chilli, grate the potatoes and smash the chickpeas
•  Heat oil in a pan, add cumin until oil crackles and follow by adding the green chilli then methi. Sauté over slowly, add turmeric powder.
•  Add the chickpeas and potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.
•  Cook until if forms a good mixture and a consistent green shade. Remove from pan and allow mixture to cool.
•  Roll out balls of approximately 60g, place between palms and press gently to form a patty. Keep refrigerated.

Prep for Achar / Pickle:  10 mins

•  Shred red cabbage as thin as possible. Rinse in cold water, to remove excess colour. Soak in vinegar for 1 hour. Drain excess water
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and allow to crackle. Add chopped red chilli, cabbage, sauté for few minutes, add salt to taste and the remove the pan from the hob
•  Once cool, store in an air-tight container

Cooking & Presentation:  5 mins

• Heat a thick bottomed grill pan over a slow flame, add oil sparingly. Gently add patties, turn around after two minutes or until golden brown on either side
• Add a spoon full of your favourite chutney, push it across the plate with spoon edge to make a nice arch, place two patties per person, and a tsp of red cabbage pickle

Chef’s Tip:

•  May add red wine vinegar instead of normal vinegar, to enhance flavour

Tandoori Baby Chicken (Serves 4)

Ingredients 

• 300g Baby Chicken-Poussin
• Butter
• 1 lime

For marinade

• ½ g Saffron
• 200g Greek Yoghurt
• 10g Cumin powder
• 15g Garam masala
• 30g Ginger & garlic paste
• 3 chopped Green chillies
• 15g Vegetable oil
• Salt (to taste)

Method

Prep: 10 mins

•  Cut chicken in halves and remove skin
•  Mix all your marinade ingredients together
• Apply this over the chicken, cover and leave in fridge for an hour

Procedure to cook: 20 mins

•  Pre heat oven to 180^oC, place the chicken in centre and cook for approx 15 minutes
•  Baste the chicken applying butter or oil regularly while cooking. Check the thickest part towards the bone is fully cooked before serving
•  Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven, apply a knob of butter and finish with a generous squeeze of lime

Vishnu Natarajan, chef:  “This is not a normal red coloured Tandoor chicken that you find most places. It should be a yellowish colour due to saffron, with golden brown marks obtained from roasting. Personally I love to have it with a bit of curry – presented on a bed of curry in a serving dish with the Tandoori chicken on top to bring all the senses together: colours for eyes, flavours, temperatures, textures and finally the taste to remember”

The post Something you should serve… Methi and Chickpea Tikki with Red Cabbage Achar and Tandoori Baby Chicken appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.