As the title suggested ,Chicken being one of the most common and famous in the list of ingredients has a lot of knowledge attached to it. Why did I choose chicken ? The answer to it is , as I started my career with butchery, Chicken was the first thing which was handed over to me as my first mission . While learning those cuts I still remember my struggling with them. But during those struggling My sous chef use to say “If you want to learn how to cut a chicken get familiar with its structure first and then pick-up your knife. Which became my key to success. And I have to say this in that depressing and chilled room(Butchery) I gain a lot of knowledge.
Being I belong to India it was difficult for me to work in butchery due to family pressure as spiritual mean behind it. But as they say “No pain No gain” . As the time passes in butchery I got to know, Besides the taste of chicken after cooking it also comes with risky health issues while receiving which includes Salmonella virus. Attaching to which I also got to know different types of chicken which were received that includes Poisser Chicken ,Spring chicken, Boiler, Capon etc.
Also, there are different kinds of cuts attached to different cuisines like for a dish called Chicken Roulade we boneless the chicken leg and the we use to pat it flat with a meat hammer so to make it even.
Also, there are different kinds of cuts attached to different cuisines like for a dish called Chicken Roulade we boneless the chicken leg and the we use to pat it flat with a meat hammer so to make it even.
Also there are certain dishes where in only boneless meat of leg is used or it is used in a certain ratio as in breast meat to leg meat ratio for example Chicken Reshmi Kebab.and so on.
WHILE PURCHASING:-
History :-
With the emergence of the modern chicken farm after World War 2 chicken became increasingly affordable,everyday food.Unfortunatly , as the chicken production moved from barnyards to the processing plants both the quality and safety were compromised.Also these chicken are ancestral animals and has set a benchmark in terms of ancient culinary.
The chickens that saved Western civilization were discovered, according to legend, by the side of a road in Greece in the first decade of the fifth century B.C. The Athenian general Themistocles, on his way to confront the invading Persian forces, stopped to watch two cocks fighting and summoned his troops, saying: “Behold, these do not fight for their household gods, for the monuments of their ancestors, for glory, for liberty or the safety of their children, but only because one will not give way to the other.” The tale does not describe what happened to the loser, nor explain why the soldiers found this display of instinctive aggression inspirational rather than pointless and depressing. But history records that the Greeks, thus heartened, went on to repel the invaders, preserving the civilization that today honors those same creatures by breading, frying and dipping them into one’s choice of sauce. The descendants of those roosters might well think—if they were capable of such profound thought—that their ancient forebears have a lot to answer for these.
WHILE PURCHASING:-
- Check the weight of the chicken of the chicken and dont buy a chicken proper packaging (Sometimes vendors soak the chicken into water so to increase the weight so to make profit)
- Check weather the skin and the flesh is firm or not.
- Check for any cuts or bruises on the chicken.
- Check for any foul smell from the chicken.
- And also check for the cost if buying in bulk and also its yield (Butchery Works on the basis of yeild so it is very much important to calculate before you buy)
History :-
With the emergence of the modern chicken farm after World War 2 chicken became increasingly affordable,everyday food.Unfortunatly , as the chicken production moved from barnyards to the processing plants both the quality and safety were compromised.Also these chicken are ancestral animals and has set a benchmark in terms of ancient culinary.
The chickens that saved Western civilization were discovered, according to legend, by the side of a road in Greece in the first decade of the fifth century B.C. The Athenian general Themistocles, on his way to confront the invading Persian forces, stopped to watch two cocks fighting and summoned his troops, saying: “Behold, these do not fight for their household gods, for the monuments of their ancestors, for glory, for liberty or the safety of their children, but only because one will not give way to the other.” The tale does not describe what happened to the loser, nor explain why the soldiers found this display of instinctive aggression inspirational rather than pointless and depressing. But history records that the Greeks, thus heartened, went on to repel the invaders, preserving the civilization that today honors those same creatures by breading, frying and dipping them into one’s choice of sauce. The descendants of those roosters might well think—if they were capable of such profound thought—that their ancient forebears have a lot to answer for these.
Chicken As A delicacy:-
I preferred the a chicken delicacy to be silky, soft , little spicy and full of gravy therefore i made butter chicken which according to me is a perfect place where a chicken should be placed in . Where in the chicken is marinated properly and then it is roasted in Charcoal Oven (Tandoor) which is the best way of putting it through. and then it is cooked in a rich tomato based gravy .
I preferred the a chicken delicacy to be silky, soft , little spicy and full of gravy therefore i made butter chicken which according to me is a perfect place where a chicken should be placed in . Where in the chicken is marinated properly and then it is roasted in Charcoal Oven (Tandoor) which is the best way of putting it through. and then it is cooked in a rich tomato based gravy .
Recepie:-
Method
source :-
- Boneless chicken cut into 1½ inch pieces -400 grams
- Lemon juice -1 tablespoon
- Kashmiri red chilli powder -1 teaspoon
- Salt -to taste
- Butter -2 tablespoons
- For marinade
Yogurt -1/2 cup - Ginger paste 2 teaspoons
- Garlic paste 2 teaspoons
- Kashmiri red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
- Garam masala powder -1/2 teaspoon
- Salt -to taste
- Mustard oil -2 teaspoons
- FOR GRAVY
- Butter -2 tablespoons
- Green cardamom -2
- Clove -2
- Black peppercorns -2-3
- Cinnamon -1 inch piece
- Ginger paste -1 teaspoon
- Garlic paste -1 teaspoon
- Tomato puree -1/2 cup
- Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
- Salt -to taste
- Sugar- 2 tablespoons
- Kasoori methi -1/2 teaspoon
- Fresh cream- 1/2 cup
Method
- Step 1-Apply a mixture of red chilli powder, lemon juice and salt to the chicken pieces and set aside for half an hour in the refrigerator.
Step 2-Hang the yogurt in a muslin cloth for fifteen to twenty minutes to remove extra water. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, red chilli and garam masala powders, salt and mustard oil.
Step 3-Apply this marinade to the chicken pieces and place them in the refrigerator for three to four hours.
Step 4-Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. String the chicken pieces onto skewers and cook in the preheated oven or a moderately hot tandoor for ten to twelve minutes or until almost done.
Step -5Baste with the butter and cook for another two minutes. Remove and set aside.
Step 6-To make the makhni gravy, heat the butter in a non-stick pan. Add the green cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon.
Step 7-Sauté for two minutes, add the ginger and garlic pastes and sauté for two minutes. Add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, salt and half cup of water.
Step 8-Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add the sugar or honey and powdered kasoori methi.
Step 9-Add the cooked tandoori chicken pieces. Simmer for five minutes and add the fresh cream. Serve hot with naan or parantha.
source :-
- World Encyclopedia (Cooking Ingridients) by Christin Ingram
- Butter Chicken Picture and hen structure - Google.com (http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Chicken_makhani.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter_chicken&h=2000&w=3008&tbnid=nspB2XnmRrDhRM:&zoom=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=200&usg=__N1UwBSa2HY_b_gVya29mfZbVKlo=&docid=lftGvPTRheajcM&itg=1)