Murghi na Farcha

Murghi na Farcha (Fried Chicken - The Parsee Way)

There is a hardly a Bawa on this planet who does not drool at the name of this dish. This is a must-have on the menu at weddings and navjotes (Parsee thread ceremony). There are two ways to make this. Some people boil the chicken, marinate it and then fry it. I always find that lacking in flavor which is why I marinate the chicken for a few hours and directly fry it. This ensures that the chicken absorbs the spicy flavor and also remains succulent. For those of you who are wondering whether the chicken will cook through if fried directly, yes, it will. :-)

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs, each cut into two

2 tablespoons red chili-garlic-cumin paste (I use Atash or Dabar brand when in a lazy mood)

1-2 tablespoons Deghi Mirch powder – (adjust the spice to your liking – I used 2 tablespoons)

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

1½ teaspoon garam masala powder

Salt, to taste

½ - ¾ cup semolina/rava

2 eggs, add a pinch of salt and beat to a light froth

Oil, to fry

Method:

1. Make two-three light slits with a sharp knife on the thickest part of each piece of chicken.
2. In a bowl add chili-garlic-cumin paste, deghi mirch powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Add a wee bit of water to make a thick paste of the spices.
3. Apply the spice paste to the chicken pieces. Leave aside for 2-3 hours.
4. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Lower heat once the oil gets hot.
5. Roll the chicken pieces in semolina (coat well but not too thick). Dip in seasoned egg wash and fry in hot oil over medium-low heat flipping the chicken just once after 7½ - 8 minutes. When done remove on kitchen towel to drain the excess oil and serve hot with chapattis and salad.
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. The oil should come half way up to the chicken pieces when you fry them
2. My exact time for frying a chicken weighing 1 kilo to 1.2 kilo is 7½ - 8 minutes on EACH side – this ensures that the chicken is cooked through and yet remains juicy and succulent. The time will increase if the bird is a larger one and, subsequently, decrease if you're using a smaller bird.
3. Please ensure that the flame you fry on is at medium-low. This will ensure that the bird is cooked through and at the same time the outer layer isn't overly browned or burnt.
4. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
   
   

If you wish to make red chili-garlic-cumin paste at home, here’s the recipe. The recipe is courtesy my friend, Zarina Cama Clowsley.

Chili-Cumin-Garlic Paste (Marcha-Jeeru-Lasan no Masalo)

Ingredients:

10-12 cloves garlic

6 dry red Kashmiri chilies

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon oil

Method:

1. Grind garlic, chilies and cumin to a fine thick paste.
2. When done, add oil and give it one more whiz in the mixer.
3. Use as directed for recipes like Sali Boti, Murghi na Farcha, etc..

Chef Notes:

1. This can also be made in a larger quantity and stored in the fridge.
2. This can also be made with green chilies if a recipe demands it.