Chicken 65

🔥 Prep

• Cut the 500g boneless chicken into bite-sized cubes (~2 cm).
• Measure out 120 ml yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger‑garlic paste, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 0.5 tsp black pepper, 1.5 tsp salt, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp rice flour, and 1 egg.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl.
• Combine yogurt, ginger‑garlic paste, all spices, salt, lemon juice, cornstarch, rice flour, and the beaten egg in a large mixing bowl; stir until smooth.
• Add the chicken cubes to the marinade, toss to coat evenly, then cover and rest for 20 minutes.

🔥 Cook

• 1. Heat 500 ml vegetable oil in a deep kadai over medium‑high heat until it reaches 180 °C (350 °F), about 5 minutes.
• 2. Working in batches, lower the marinated chicken cubes into the hot oil and deep‑fry for 5‑6 minutes until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through; use a slotted spoon to transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
• 3. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tbsp ghee over medium heat; once melted, add 0.5 tsp mustard seeds and 0.5 tsp cumin seeds and let them sputter for 10 seconds.
• 4. Add 4 slit green chilies, 4 sliced garlic cloves, and 20 fresh curry leaves; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant and crackling.
• 5. In a small cup, whisk 2 tbsp yogurt with 50 ml water and a pinch of salt; pour this mixture into the sizzling tempering, stirring quickly to form a glossy emulsion; cook for 20 seconds.
• 6. Add the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss vigorously over high heat for 1 minute until each piece is evenly coated with the spicy glaze.
• 7. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sliced red onions and lemon wedges (optional).

🔥 Serve

• Serve the Chicken 65 hot, straight from the skillet, on a warm plate.
• Accompany with thinly sliced red onions and fresh lemon wedges for squeezing.
• Optionally pair with mint‑coriander chutney or a simple cucumber raita.