Chicken 65 is one of the most popular snacks and starter recipe all across India and made using boneless Chicken pieces marinated in spices and deep fried. The weather is so awesome out here today that triggered the craving for eating fried crunchy snacks. I heard so many stories about how chicken 65 got its name. One was that the original chicken 65 had sixty-five ingredients in it. I have yet to find a recipe that calls for that many ingredients. A more authentic explanation was that chicken 65 was always the 65th option on the menu at popular restaurants in India. Diners would simply look for the 65th item on the menu and know it would be amazing.

Ingredients                            

• 1000g chicken breast
• 2 eggs – beaten
• 2 tablespoons garlic ginger paste
• 3 tablespoons corn flour
• 3 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1½ tablespoons tandoori masala
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• Rapeseed oil for deep frying
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 20 curry leaves
• 3 green chilies sliced
• 12 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 x 4″ piece of ginger – julienned
• 3 spring onions – roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 – 3 tablespoons chili sauce of choice (optional)

Method

1. Slice the chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces.
2. Mix all of the ingredients up to the black pepper into a paste and stir this evenly into the chicken pieces.
3. Let this marinate for about 30 minutes or longer.When ready to deep fry, heat your oil in a large wok.
4. The oil is ready when a small piece of battered chicken bubbles immediately when you put it in. Fry the chicken in batches until the exterior is nice and crispy and the meat is about 85% cooked through. This should take about two-three minutes per batch.
5. Place the finished chicken pieces on a wire rack to rest while you finish the dish.
6. Empty the wok keeping about four tablespoons of the oil in the pan.
7. Place over high heat and toss in the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies and fry for a further 30 seconds.
8. Add the garlic and julienned ginger and fry until fragrant and soft. About a minute should do the job.
9. Pour the chicken and spring onions in and stir well to coat. Fry it all over high heat until the chicken is completely cooked through. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and add chili sauce (if using).

Give it all one last good stir and check for seasoning, adding a little more salt if