Recipe: Crispy chicken strips

Method

•  Cut the boneless chicken into long, finger-shaped strips and marinate the pieces in salt, red chilli powder and mustard sauce. Allow the strips to rest for at least an hour so the flavour can sink in completely.

•  In a separate dish, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder and chaat masala together. Add some water to make a smooth batter.

•  Dip the strips in the batter and make sure they are coated completely.

•  Heat oil on medium flame and fry the strips until they become golden brown.

•  Serve warm!

Note: You may also coat the chicken with breadcrumbs for added crispiness.

Marination and more

There is more to a marinade than mixing sundry ingredients and splattering them onto meat. A good marinade does all the work, adding flavour to your meal before you even begin cooking it. Check out these pointers for effective marination to make your meat finger lickin’ good!

Cool it: While most of us apply the marinade and set the dish aside at room temperature, it is better to cover the meat and refrigerate it for an hour before cooking. The cool temperature allows the marinade to settle better and also prevents the growth of bacteria which multiply faster in open air.

Bag it: You might be used to marinating meat in large bowls but did you know that a re-sealable plastic bag is much more convenient? Not only do these bags take up lesser space in the refrigerator, they are also non-reactive and the vacuum in the bag promotes better absorption. Ziploc bags are particularly useful when marinating small pieces of meat: they are compact, sealable and easy to clean up.


Save it: Before adding the raw meat, you should always set aside some extra liquid marinade for dipping or drizzling over the finished dish before serving.

Watch it: When it comes to marination, timing is almost as important as the ingredients! You must bear in mind that raw meat of any kind — be it poultry, seafood or red meat — will turn mushy if left in an acidic marinade (citrus juice or vinegar) for too long. In general, seafood should be marinated for no more than 45 minutes and poultry and small pieces of red meat are done in two hours. Whole chickens or large cuts of mutton or beef should be left overnight for best results.

Honey mustard dip



What good is finger-food without an equally delicious dip to compliment it? Serve chicken strips with this sweet and sour, honey mustard dip that will leave everyone wanting more!

Ingredients

•  Mayonnaise 1 and 1/2 cup

•  Honey 1/2 cup

•  Dijon mustard 1/4 cup

Method

•  Mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until they are blended together completely.

•  Allow the dip to chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, December 7^th, 2014.