Goan Chicken Cafreal

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 servings

Description

This is the traditional Goan version of masala chicken. It can be either fried or grilled on the BBQ.

Ingredients

1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken
salt to taste
6 fresh green chile peppers, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
15 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
8 whole cloves
6 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
1 medium lime, juiced

Directions

1 Wash the chicken and cut it into large pieces. Rub with salt and set to aside.
2 Combine chile peppers, cilantro, garlic, ginger, tamarind, poppy seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and turmeric in a large mortar. Crush into a paste with a pestle.
3 Rub chicken with the paste on all sides until completely covered. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or 8 hours to overnight for best results.
4 Add enough oil to generously cover the entire bottom of a large skillet; heat until a thermometer registers 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in batches until golden brown on the outside and no longer pink at the bone, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
5 Drizzle with lime juice before serving.