Apricot-Salli Chicken with Do Palli Roti (twin layered chapatti)

Salli Boti is a Parsi dish. I have adapted it to our taste, so the way I make it, it is not an authentic Parsi dish. But it is delish...oh! yes it is, and easy to make too. Try it.


Ingredients:

Chicken thighs (big).................................4 cut into halves (8pcs)abt 750-850gms 
Onions......................................................2 chopped (abt 2 cups)
Ginger......................................................1/2x1/2 inch pc
Garlic.......................................................5 big cloves, or 7 small ones
Tomato.....................................................2 red ones, medium
Coriander pwdr........................................2 level tsps
Cumin pwdr..............................................1level tsp
Kashmiri red chilli pwdr (Kashmiri mirch)...acc to taste
Turmeric..................................................1/5 tsp
Garam masala.........................................1 tsp or 1/2 tsp as desired (preferably home made)
Khurmani (dried apricot)........................3, halve and remove pits
Sugar or jaggery (optional).....................1 tsp
Vinegar....................................................1 tsp, you can add 1/2 tsp more if you like it tangy.
Salt to taste
Green cardamom whole..........................4
Cinnamon stick........................................1 (1")
Pepper corns............................................8-10
Green coriander........................................chopped, a handful
Olive oil....................................................4-5 tbsps.
Canola oil for frying.

For Salli:

Potato.....................................................2, cut into thin straws


Par boil the potato straws in salted boiling water. Do not boil to cook. Remove from water and spread out on an absorbent kitchen towel to dry out all moisture.

Crush two-three garlic cloves and half the ginger in a mortar. No big pieces should remain. Now rub this over the chicken pieces with a bit of salt. Allow to marinate for an hour or two.

In a mixer, grind the tomatoes, half the onions, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, red chilli, turmeric. remove the masala paste and add a cup of water to make a masala rinse.


In a non-stick pan heat the oil. Now drop in the cardamom, cinnamon and pepper corns. Add the left over onions. Fry until the onions begin to turn brown. Lower the heat.

Add the ground masala and stir it well into the onions. Continue stirring. When the masala reduces in quantity and the oil begins to separate, add the marinated chicken. Mix well to incorporate the masalas. Add salt (remember there's some salt in the chicken) and continue to stir around. Keep heat on medium. The chicken will release some of its juice. Bhuno until the water reduces. Add the halved apricots, vinegar and sugar/jaggery. Stir well. Now add the masala rinse.

Cover and allow to cook till chicken is tender and the water content has reduced to form a thick gravy. If water is too much remove cover and cook until the water reduces. If you need more water you can add 1/2 a cup more. Check for salt. Cook till ready. Remove from fire. Sprinkle the garam masala over the chicken.

Heat some canola oil in a deep pan. When hot drop in the potato straws and fry to a to a light golden brown. Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels.

Serve the chicken with a garnish of chopped green coriander and a generous sprinkle of potato salli. Eat with do palli roti.



For Do Palli Roti:

Atta should be kneaded into a soft pliable dough.
To make the roti take two equal size balls of dough (not too big)
Flatten out into 2-2 n 1/2 inch circles.
Grease each circle with some melted ghee or oil.
Sprinkle a bit of dry atta over this.
Now place one circle over the other, ghee side.
Press together.
Now adding a bit of dry atta on either side roll into a thin chapatti.
Cook on a flat pan/tawa like ordinary chapatti.

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