Do have a go at making this recipe of fusion-style chicken popcorn brought to you by Sharjah-based food blogger Bethica Das. It's spiked with panch phoron, the traditional Bengali five-spice powder.
Coated with dry roasted oats, this yummy starter is can be dished out in a jiffy.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Bethica Das
Chicken Popcorn
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the panch phoron powder
- 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds
- 1 tsp kalonji or nigella seeds
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 1 tsp sonf or fennel seeds
- ½ tsp methi or fenugreek seeds
For the chicken popcorn
- 500 gm boneless chicken, cut into cubes
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp red chilly powder
- 1 tbsp panch phoron powder (made using the recipe above)
- 1 tsp amchur or dried mango powder
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 cups oats, dry roasted + a pinch of salt
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
For serving
- Green chutney
- Tomato sauce
- Wedge of lemon
- Chaat masala
Method
For the panch phoron powder
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, over medium heat, dry roast all the ingredients.
Cool and grind into a fine powder.
Store the powder in an air-tight container.
For the chicken popcorn
- In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the oats and the oil.
Marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Roll the marinated chicken in the roasted oats and then refrigerate again for 30 minutes. - Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai or frying pan over medium heat.
Deep fry the chicken popcorn in batches till light golden in colour.
Drain excess oil and transfer to a plate lined with a tissue or a paper towel.
Sprinkle chaat masala over it and serve with tomato sauce and green chutney.
