A few days ago, a friend of mine showed me a
chicken recipe so laughably easy, it was absolutely mind blowing. Now, as much
as I love her as a friend, she is a bit culinarily (that’s not a word. Yes, I
know. Yes, I just made up a word. I’m very proud) challenged. And yet, she
pulled off the dish with élan. That’s because the entire process is riddled
with shortcuts. Here’s how it goes.
You
take some pieces of chicken in a bowl. And to it, you add dashes of whichever
sauce you prefer. My friend added plain ketchup, red chili sauce, green chili
sauce and dark soy sauce. Add in some crushed garlic and just a pinch of salt.
Marinate for minimum one hour. Then add a few drops of oil in a nonstick wok.
Add the marinated chicken pieces with less than half a glass of water. Cook
till its done. Prep time- less than 5 minutes. Cook time- anywhere between 10
to 30 minutes depending on the size of the pieces and the presence of bones.
That’s
all. When I tried to recreate her dish, I took more of an oriental route. I
added some sesame oil and oyster sauce. Just as brilliant. Just as delicious.
Just as simple.
Why has this dish
sent me into such a tizzy you ask? The dish goes well with rice. It goes well
with bread (either fresh off the loaf or toasted). It goes well with chapattis
and phulkas. Make it into pizza toppings! Turn it into sandwich or paratha
fillings! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the dish which answers so many prayers
in one go.
Look at the
possibilities! The only constant ingredient in the marinade needs to be
ketchup. Everything else is variable. Want an Indian twist to it? Add some
garam masala, some curd and some turmeric. Continental food is your go-to? Add
plentiful crushed garlic and some herbs like oregano, thyme and rosemary. I’ve
already described the Oriental options.
Besides, you can
forgo the water in the dish and serve it dry as an appetizer. You can add extra
water and turn it into a curry. You can even substitute the protein element
with some other alternative like cottage cheese, soy nuggets, sea food or
vegetables! (in fact, I considered naming this article “Chicken for Chumps”
when I realized that even the chicken element is a variable).
Mind not boggled yet?
Imagine how many ways this dish can be your salvation. You can have it when you
come back home after a grueling day and do not have the energy or inclination
to make a complicated meal. You can rustle it up when you get news of
unexpected (or uninvited) guests. You could be a harried mother of six kids or
a clueless BPO employee crashing with three more clueless roomies whose diet is
primarily made up of Maggi noodles. It doesn’t matter if you’re a kitchen noob
or a seasoned chef. You could be in Kashmir or you could be in Kanyakumari.
Let me sign off now
while you try to wrap your head around this amazing dish. You’re welcome ;)
~I
