Chicken 65

If you are a chicken lover, then you must have had Chicken 65 which is a lip-smacking dish that is often served as a starter or with a roomali roti. This deep-fried chicken dish is quite popular all across India and people have even come up with different versions of it. But have you ever wondered why is there a number in the name of the dish? 

Many people have a misconception that the name of Chicken 65 is because of the ingredients used in the dish. Its origin story suggests otherwise. Chicken 65 was actually invented by A.M. Buhari in the year 1965 in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Some people also say that soldiers in the Chennai canteen were presented a long menu that had this dish against the serial number 65 and that’s why the dish was linked to the number 65. It is believed that since there was a language barrier in the Cantt, associating the chicken with the number was the easiest way for the soldiers to remember the dish.

The delicious Chicken 65 will definitely be in your party starter list soon if it is still not made in your kitchen. This South Indian droolworthy appetizer is usually served with rumali roti or flaky parathas to make it a complete meal.

The authentic recipe is simple but there are some interesting variations of it are more popular, after all you can alter it a little to suit your taste buds! Original recipe asks for marination of Chicken pieces and then deep frying like Pakoras, no extra tempering is needed.

Let's start the recipe..

Ingredients:

1.  Boneless chicken 500 gm. (cut into cubes) Buhari used bone-in pieces.

2- Ginger-garlic paste-1 tbsp.

3- Salt to taste

4- Kashmiri chilli powder-2 tsp. for color

5- 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

6- Garam masala powder-1 tsp.

7- coriander powder- 3/4 tsp.

8- Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp.

9- Curd-4 tbsp.

10- Lemon juice-1 tsp.

11- Curry leaves- 2 sprigs (Chopped)

12- Cornstarch- 4 tbsp.

13- Rice flour-2 tbsp.

14- egg white-1 ( you can skip this add 1 tbsp, curd instead) 

15- Oil for deep frying

16- Curry leaves for tempering

17- Green chillies slit-6

18- Chopped garlic- 1 tbsp

19-Red chilli powder-2 tsp. or according to taste

Method:

* To a large mixing bowl, add chicken pieces, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt, chopped curry leaves, curd, lemon juice and ginger garlic paste.

* Mix well and cover, leave it for at least an hour, overnight marination will yield better results.

* Heat oil in a wok or heavy bottomed pan, add corn starch and rice flour and egg white to the chicken, mix and fry. 

* Do not crowd the pan and fry on medium high till crispy.

* Once you are done frying chicken, reduce the flame to low and a fry curry leaves till crisp, slit green chillies for few seconds and spread this over the fried chicken pieces, your Chennai style Chicken 65 is ready!

This time I made this simple for my son.

But to make it spicier, you add one more tempering which goes like this-

Take 2 tsp. fried chicken oil, add curry leaves, some chopped garlic, 2 slit green chillies, chilli garlic sauce 1 tbsp., saute for a min, add 1 tbsp. water and turn off the heat adding 1 more tsp. of kashmiri chilli poder. Add this to quote chicken and immediately serve this with lemon wedes and sliced onion, otherwise it will turn soggy.

Note

You may also add few drops of red color into the marination.