Chicken Masala Roast: A Classic Anglo Indian Spiced Roast That Tastes Awesome

This is an Anglo Indian version of Roast which has been Indianised a bit to include spices. You can make this with beef too if you wish. I made it with chicken breast but you could also make it with a whole chicken eaten off the bone. Although I have mentioned measurements of ingredients, I usually don’t do so when cooking and go by gut feel. It’s the best way.

Ingredients:

500 Gms chicken breast

1 cup chicken stock (preferably boiled fresh from bones)

1 tbsp Worcester sauce (Preferably Lea Perrins.  It’s the best)

3 small pieces of ginger (bruised)

¼ tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

¾ tsp turmeric

6/7 black peppercorns

4 cloves

2 pc cinnamon 1 “

Juice of 1 lime or vinegar

2 dry red Kashmiri chilli peppers

1 ½ tbsp tomato sauce

Salt.

For the Marinade

Marinate the chicken with ginger and garlic paste, lime juice, turmeric, a bit of salt, a dash of Worcester sauce and allow it to remain for half an hour. If you’re using large pieces of chicken breast, then flatten a bit but use plastic wrap when doing so.

Cooking Method

Now  Heat oil in a pressure cooker ( about 4 tbsp), add 1 tsp sugar, add peppercorns, clove, cinnamon, bruised ginger and sauté for a minute, then add the chicken breasts. First, brown the chicken on a semi-high flame, now add the stock and salt. Pressure cook the chicken for maybe just 2 or 3 whistles (approximately 15 minutes) As it is chicken breast it will cook faster. If you’re using a whole chicken, it may take a longer time in which case cook it for 3 -4 whistles and check. When cooking with bone, poke the leg pieces with a fork first.

Once the chicken is tender,  open the lid, add 1 tbsp -1 ½ tbsp tomato sauce (depending on your taste for tomato), 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and cook on a semi-high flame to high flame depending on your style of the burner for a few minutes to thicken the gravy.

(If you're using a whole chicken, then I’m sure the same dish can also be cooked in an oven too but it would be best to sauté it first in a pressure cooker before transferring into the oven.)

The Salad

You can use your own innovative ideas for the salad. I used chopped apple, cucumber, tomato, boiled peas, diced pineapple, boiled carrots and lettuce. Mix it with 1 tbsp olive oil, mayonnaise and a teaspoon of English mustard. That’s if you like the flavor of mustard in which case just add mayo.

Roast a few potatoes with a bit of honey and you’re done. Serve with garlic bread.

For more interesting Anglo Indian and Colonial recipes

For some really great recipes buy the book "The  Anglo Indian Cookery Book" written by Dora Limond sometime in 1900. It was the first anglo Indian and colonial cookery book to be published in Calcutta. For details contact me andrewalpin1@gmail.com. In India, the cost is 250 INR (excl of postage).