Kulfi Chicken Tikka is one of those unique starter or snack dishes that is there to fulfil cheese cravings. A perfect starter dish, ideal before a dinner meal, the grilled-marinated chicken packed with cream, cashew paste and cheese pleases the taste buds well. A little smokey flavour imparted through coal makes the dish more exquisite. This dish requires two stages of marination: one with spices and the other with cheese, cashew paste and fresh cream, which is responsible for the delectable taste. Enjoy with mint chutney and onion rings to get the best taste.
Origin
Mughal era leaders introduced the dish Chicken Tikka, numerous variants of which are available now. This is more popular in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Generally, boneless chicken pieces/ dices together or without vegetables are marinated with curd and spices, rested and baked using skewers. It has also acquired the place of a cuisine in Punjab. A different version in Afghanistan is less spicy, and uses beef and lamb along with chicken.
Method Of Preparation
Preparation of Kulfi Chicken tikka is similar to that of a classic chicken tikka, except for a few ingredients. The basic process of marinating and grilling/ baking is the same but the marinate used and a few spices are different. The purpose is to get a melt in mouth taste, which is achieved through cheese, cream and cashew paste.
Ingredients:
First Marination
- 500 gms Chicken Cubes (boneless)
- 2 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
- Salt (as required)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Second Marination
- 1 tablespoon Hung Curd
- 2 tablespoon Cashew Nut Paste
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Cream
- 1 teaspoon Green Chillies (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon Green Cardamom Powder
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper Powder
- 2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 & 1/2 Coriander Leaves (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves (crushed)
- Salt (as required)
- 50 gms Processed Cheese (grated)
For Smokey Flavour
- Coal
- 1 teaspoon Butter
- Grilling the Skewered Chicken
- Oil (during grilling)
- Butter (for basting- keeping chicken moist)
- Cheese Spread
- 80 gms Mozzarella Cheese (grated)
- 100ml Hot Water
Method:
First Marination
- Take cubes of chicken
- Add two tablespoon ginger-garlic paste followed by salt and lemon juice
- Massage the chicken thoroughly
- Keep it for rest for at least 15 minutes
Second Marination
- Take one tablespoon hung curd, two tablespoon cashew paste, two tablespoon fresh cream,
- Now add masalas: one teaspoon chopped green chilli, one teaspoon green cardamom powder, one teaspoon white pepper powder, two teaspoon garam masala, one and half spoon coriander leaves, one teaspoon kasoori methi, salt
- Finally add 50g processed cheese
- Mix thoroughly to make a thick creamy paste
- Add chicken pieces to this marinate mixture and let it rest for few minutes
- Take a charcoal piece and heat it over the flame.
- Add this coal piece in a small bowl in the center of the marinate.
- In this chicken marinate, add the burnt coal piece, pour some butter and cover the bowl to impart the smokey flavour.
Grilling or Baking of Chicken Tikka
- Put the chicken pieces on the skewer carefully
- Head towards grilling
- Heat a pan and add some oil
- Place the skewers over the heated oil
- Let the chicken pieces cook thoroughly; keep changing sides to allow cooking evenly
- Keep spreading some ghee so that the chicken remain moist
- While cooking prepare mozarella cheese spread by taking 80g mozarella cheese, add some hot water and grind to make a fine paste
- Remove the chicken pieces from the skewer and place it on the serving plate
- Place each piece a little distant from one another
- Apply the prepared cheese spread on the top of each piece
- Bake the chicken pieces by placing the plate in the oven for two to three minutes at 160 degree celcius
- Garnish with saffron and crushed pistachio
Enjoy the creamy texture resembling kulfi as a starter or a snack and share with your family and friends. Lacing with cheese makes the chicken pieces even more tempting and delicious.
This will be a good recipe to satisfy those evening hunger pangs, especially during the weekends.