So here we are in the month of December. It's nearly the end of the year. Months have gone by and 'time flies' is putting it mildly! All things considered, would it say it wasn't simply yesterday that we wished everybody a Cheerful New Year? I am pretty sure that as you read this your thoughts are wandering back to the beginning of this year and all the events that unfolded as the months rolled by.  Have I fulfilled anything important this year? Have I kept up to the promises I made to myself? The New Year resolutions mostly stay just resolutions. I am happy I don't make any resolutions on Jan first. Everyday is the 1st of January if you are serious about  getting something done. Anyway, before I make this sound like a speech, let me let you know that I have accomplished numerous milestone as far as my blog is concerned. Apart from the page hits & growing list of followers, I have made some great blogger friends. It's amazing how we make more friends sitting inside the confines of our home via the internet than we actually make outside our homes. Friends we have never met check on us out of genuine concern when we disappear for a few days from the blogosphere.

After having gone through my recipe book many times, it wasn't too difficult to select the recipe for this week's post. A super spicy non-vegetarian weekend lunch dish which was well received by my family. The famous Chicken Ghee Roast recipe that hails from Mangalore which I have tweaked in terms of the spice level to suit my taste.

Chicken Ghee Roast
Serves 4 - 5

You Need:
1 kg chicken
1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
2 tsp sugar
Curry leaves
2 tbsp chopped coriander(optional)

For the marinade;
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup thick curds (yogurt)
1 tsp turmeric
salt to taste

For the masala
10 Kashmiri chillies
1 tbsp coriander powder (dhania)
 1/2 tsp cumin (jeera)
1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi)
12 garlic flakes with skin
1/2 tsp tamarind paste or 1 marble size tamarind soaked in 2 tbsp water

Method:
1. Cut the chicken into medium size pieces, wash & drain on a colander. Marinate it with the ingredients mentioned under 'For the marinade' and refrigerate for 4 hours or more (I marinated it for 1 hour)

2. Heat a tawa or non stick pan & dry roast the chillies, peppercorns (optional, it gives an extra kick), fenugreek, coriander & cumin seeds. Take care to see that the chillies don't burn otherwise they will let out a bitter taste. Use water & grind all these ingredients along with the garlic & tamarind to a fine paste. Retain the masala water from the mixer-grinder.

3. Heat 1/4 cup of ghee in a wide thick bottomed pan and add the marinated chicken pieces and cook over an open flame till the pieces are almost cooked. Transfer the pieces to a vessel and the liquid (gravy) to another bowl.

4. In the same pan add the remaining ghee and fry the ground masala for 5-6 minutes or till the raw smell vanishes and the oil leaves the sides of the pan.

5. Add the fried chicken pieces 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid & salt to taste (remember that the marinade already had salt - so go easy on the salt). Cook on a medium high flame till the masala dries up. Add the sugar & mix.

6. Garnish with curry leaves & chopped coriander leaves & turn off the flame

7. Serve hot as an appetizer or as a side dish with rice

Try the Ghee Roast if you've never eaten it before - but it's definitely not something you can eat everyday as it is extremely rich thanks to the ghee (clarified butter). A perfect accompaniment to Neer Dosa,Dosa, Appam, Boiled Rice or even Chapathis and a perfect party dish.