By Maunika Gowardhan, UK
When I mention the use of pomegranate in Indian food it takes a lot of people by surprise. For some it’s almost unimaginable to think of it as a predominant ingredient in Indian curries as opposed to just a garnish of sorts. Pomegranate or anardana as its known; is quite commonly used in a lot of North Indian cooking. From curries, breads, raitas and tikkas the seeds are used fresh which are readily available in India; or dehydrated and sold dry. Dehydrated pomegranate seeds lend that required sweet & sour flavour in curries or chutneys.
A lot of recipes also call for pomegranate powder or even juice. It’s the perfect souring agent lending that tangy slant to a dish. The menu on one of my classes recently featured this gorgeous ingredient as part of a chicken curry with chillies and garlic. Not surprisingly it went down an absolute treat. I remember visiting Mughlai/ Punjabi restaurants in India with my family and scrolling through the menu decidedly knowing what I was to order. For me the all time favourites were Reshmi Tikka (made with cream and ground nuts) also Kandahari Murgh; moist succulent chicken pieces coated in a thick marinade. Each bite was a perfect mix of heat from the chilli, tangy flavours from the pomegranate and warmth from fresh ginger and garlic. With a sprinkling of chaat masala for that added spice and tartness this dish was delicious dunking each bite in pudine ki (mint) chutney eaten with crispy onion rings.
Most Indian recipes for kandahari tikka call for pomegranate juice or syrup; I have used pomegranate molasses. It’s the sort of fruit syrup where I could drink the whole bottle! Very moreish, sticky, sweet and tangy with a perfect balance to marinate your meats in. I also added some of dried pomegranate seeds as they coat the chicken pieces and add a crunch. Again for this recipe I have used Kashmiri chilli powder as I’m hoping for heat but also a fiery red colour for the chunky chicken pieces. Feel free to swap it for some mild red paprika and pinch of chilli powder. Though I have used chicken breast, boneless chicken thighs would be good too.
I really can’t get enough of this murgh tikka; charred around the edges wrapped in parathas with red onions and chillies scoffed down in record time!
Ingredients
850gms skinless boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
300mls thick yoghurt/ Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp gram flour/ chickpea flour
1 tbsp garlic paste
½ tbsp ginger paste
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (or less if you want a mild flavour)
150mls pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp dried pomegranate seeds
½ tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Butter for basting
Add the gram flour and the yoghurt in a bowl. Mix well to get rid of any lumps to form a thick paste like consistency. Gradually add the ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, molasses and pomegranate seeds along with the garam masala powder & salt. Tip in the chicken pieces and mix well making sure to coat them well in the thick marinade. Leave to marinate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 190c/ Gas mark 5. Thread the chicken pieces onto wooden skewers and place them on a wire rack. Roast the pieces for 7-10 minutes. Turn them over & baste with melted butter. Put them back in the oven for 4-5 minutes until they are cooked through and slightly charred around the edges. Serve warm with roti or parathas, lemon wedges and an onion salad.
This article was first published on Gowardhan’s Blog: Cookinacurry
More About Maunika Gowardhan
Gowardhan is a mother, freelance food writer, private chef and a home cook based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Born in Bombay, India, Maunika’s core influences have always been the food her mother and grandmother cooked for her growing up. Coming to England made her perpetually homesick and she missed home cooked meals. With spices at hand, she tried my best to emulate the kind of food she grew up eating.
Her food blog is based around dishes that inspire her and recipes that have been part her my family for generations. Maunika also does food demos, freelance features and radio and is currently working on her first cookbook.
©masalamommas and masalamommas.com, 2016-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to masalamommas.com and Masalamommas online magazine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Share this:
There is 1 comment
Add yoursPost a new comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
i use pomengranate seeds in my chapali kebabs and it adds such a unique nutty flavour. i can’t wait to try this recipe. is pomengranate molasses easily available?