Nepalese · beginner
Kathmandu Pan-Seared Chicken Choila
Warmly spiced bite-sized chicken seared until golden, then tossed in mustard oil bloomed with dark roasted fenugreek seeds, fresh ginger, and lemon juice.
- PREP TIME
- 15 min
- COOK TIME
- 20 min
- SERVES
- 4
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Toss the chicken pieces with ground turmeric, half the chili powder, and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
- 02
Heat 1 tablespoon of mustard oil in a pan over high heat and sear the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes until charred and cooked through.
- 03
Transfer the cooked chicken into a heat-safe bowl and mix in the diced red onion, minced garlic, julienned ginger, and remaining chili powder.
- 04
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of mustard oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- 05
Add the fenugreek seeds to the hot oil and fry for 30 to 45 seconds until they turn a deep dark brown color.
- 06
Immediately pour the hot sizzling fenugreek oil over the chicken and raw aromatics mixture.
- 07
Add lemon juice and fresh cilantro, toss thoroughly, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving warm.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Warm Sizzling Oil Tempering
Pouring hot spiced oil directly over pre-cooked meat mixed with fresh raw aromatics creates a fragrant warm salad style dish.
Notes from the kitchen
- Browning fenugreek seeds to a dark brown releases a characteristic nutty-bitter taste central to choila.
- Pouring sizzling oil over raw garlic and ginger softens their sharpness while retaining fresh crunch.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Nepalese; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.
