"Cool your Chili" Chicken

One of the first live sporting events I ever went to was an India vs. Australia cricket match in Sydney. As an Australian citizen, I thought it only made sense for me to cheer for my home team. Yet, as the only brown person screaming "Aussie Aussie Aussie Oy Oy Oy," my eyes quickly met the bewildered stares of my fellow Indian fans (including my father's). Since then, I've concentrated less on the sports, and more on the stadium food. In fact, the best time to visit India is during cricket season (which I'm convinced is year-round). The matches last the whole day, sometimes multiple days, and so does the endless food. Instead of wings, the go-to game day food in India is chili chicken. It's spicy, it's fried, it's chicken, and it's lick your fingers good. 

This is a recipe for chili chicken with a twist. The spiciness of the red chillies is balanced with a touch of yogurt. Whether it's India or Indianapolis, people love their sports and stadium food, and this dish is guaranteed to spice up your spread this football season. 

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(Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time: 25 mins, Serves 5-6 as an appetizer)

What you need for the fried chicken:

**Alternatively you can bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

1. Fresh chicken breast - 1 lb, cut into 1-inch pieces.
2. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
3. Ginger/garlic paste - 1 tsp
4. Garam masala - 1 tsp
5. Corn starch or plain flour - 1 tbsp
6. Egg - 1, beaten
7. White pepper - 1 tsp, freshly ground
8. Kosher salt - 1 tsp
9. Lime juice - 1 tbsp
10. Canola oil- enough to deep fry in a large pot. 
11. Red onion - 1 small, thinly sliced

What you need for the seasoning oil:

1. Mustard/regular oil - 2 tbsp
2. Greek yogurt, plain - 3-4 tbsp
3. Red chilli paste - 1 tbsp
4. Jeera (cumin) - 1 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
6. Dried red chillies - a handful

What you do:

1. Mix ingredients #1-9 in a medium bowl. 
2. Heat up oil on medium-high heat. Test oil heat with the back of a wooden spoon, if you see little bubbles it means it's ready to go. 
3. Fry the marinated chicken pieces until golden brown (approx 3-4 minutes per batch).
4. Make sure the oil heats up between batches.
5. Once all the chicken is fried, in a medium pan/wok heat up the oil for the seasoning on medium-low heat. 
6. Meanwhile, mix in a small bowl, the yogurt and red chilli paste with a dash of salt.
7. Add the jeera and mustard seeds until they start to pop.
8. Add the chillies until they start to blister a little.
9. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the yogurt mixture, and quickly stir so the yogurt doesn't curdle.
10. After 1-2 minutes, toss the chicken for a couple of minutes until the yogurt is absorbed.

Done! Serve with a little bit of lime juice and sliced onion.