DAK BUNGALOW STYLE DRY CHICKEN FRY

DAK BUNGALOW STYLE DRY CHICKEN FRY

(A simple tasty and appetizing chicken fry that took its origins in the Dak Bungalows or Guest Houses on the Dak Route (Postal Route) during the days of the British Raj. For those who do not know what a ‘Dak Bungalow’ is, it was simply a ‘Traveler’s Rest House in the Indian subcontinent, during the days of the British Raj, originally on a Dak Route. Dak was a system of mail delivery or passenger movement, transported by relays of bearers or horses stationed at intervals along a particular route and these Rest Houses were established or built at various places along the route. These Traveller’s Bungalows or Dak Bungalows later became the Inspection Bungalows for British Officers.

The recipe for preparing this dish varied with each cook at the Dak Bungalows depending on the availability of ingredients in a particular place as most Dak Bungalows or Inspections were on Trunk Roads and not in the vicinity of Grocery shop. The khansamas and cooks had to make do with whatever ingredients were on hand.)

Serves 6   Time required: 45 minutes

Ingredients

 1 medium sized chicken washed and cut into fairly big pieces

2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste

2 onions sliced finely

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons chillie powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon fennel powder

2 Dry Red Chillies broken into bits

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons oil

 To Garnish

1 tablespoon butter

8 or 10 curry leaves fried in a little butter

1 large onion cut into thin rings

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients mentioned above for an hour (except the ingredients for garnish).

Transfer to a suitable pan and cook on low heat till the chicken is tender and semi-dry.

Mix in a tablespoon of butter and let the dish rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

Garnish with fried curry leaves and raw onion rings.

Serve as a side dish with Dhal and Rice or a snack or appetizer

Note: Instead of frying t he chicken, it could be grilled in an oven. Arrange the pieces on a flat dish and grill for about half an hour in a hot oven.