Quarantine Fried Chicken (QFC)

Quarantine Fried Chicken:

Just as the name suggest I worked on this recipe in the early weeks of covid, when my delivery kitchen was forced to shut down due to the crises the world was facing. I didn't quite go down the Sourdough root. Our neighborhood KFC was unserviceable for considerable period so we decided to take matters into our own hands. Here's the recipe to a very nice rendition of Southern Fried Chicken. 

Ingredients:

Buttermilk marinade:

Amul chhas or any chhas - 2 pkts (small tetra)

Salt: 1.5 tsp

Pepper: 0.5 tsp

red chilly powder: 2 tsp

Chaat masala/ amchur: 0.5 tsp (opt). 

Ginger garlic paste

Chicken:

Drumsticks: 10 or so

Dry rub:

1 part (rice flour)

1 part maida

Salt to taste

Pepper powder

Any mixed herbs, chilly flakes

Garlic/onion powder (optional)

Wet batter:

Egg - 1 whole

Maida - (1/2 cup)

Rice flour - (1/4cup)

Salt

Garam masala (optional)

Water - around 1 cup (add so that it's a thick batter like idli batter consistency).

Oil- 3 tbsp

(I didn't have the egg so I omitted it). Adjust water accordingly.

Outer coating:

To the dry rub further add:

Cornflakes: 1.5 cups (grind in mixer but don't powder)

Salt

Herbs

Method:

1. Wash the chicken and drain excess water.

2. Make deep cuts on the drumsticks with a sharp knife (3-4 on each pc).

3. Prepare the buttermilk mixture and whisk it nicely, then add the chicken and keep refrigerated (overnight or at least for 3 hours at room temp.

4. Prepare the dry rub.

5. Prepare the thick batter.

6. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk drain excess, and add coat in the dry rub. Let it rest for 20-30 mins.

7. Heat up the oil on medium low flame.

8. Take the coated chicken, dip in thick batter shake off the excess, coat in the cornflakes and flour mixture, dust excess and deep fry on medium low flame. Cook max of 5 pc at a time. Don't touch the chicken for the next 3-4 mins. Just circulate the oil. 

9. After 5 mins rotate the chicken for even browning. 

 

10. Take it out after 6 mins on the other side or until a fragile crust is formed.

11. Drain in a colander / wire rack (not on tissues (steam will make coating soggy).

12. Let the chicken rest for about 15-20 mins. 

13. Reheat the oil, now on medium to high flame. 

14. Drop in chicken pieces and fry for around 2-3 mins or until colour starts to turn brown. The meat will start to shrink near the base of the drumstick. That's when its cooked. 

15. Drain on a cooling rack again, dab with tissues.

16. Serve hot with mayo/ ketchup or Tabasco.

IDLI: The Science of economics vs economics of Science

Firstly I'd like to start out by apologising for no posts on knives. The content is prooving more challenging than earlier expected and is quite difficult to condense and simplify so lets do something fun.

Personally I wanted to do this post a long time ago but due to time constraints. I couldn't devote enough time.

Lets get straight to the point.

Idlis

Love it, Hate it, but you can't ignore it.

There is just something about well fermented rice and urad dal batter steamed to perfection and enjoyed piping hot with even hotter sambar and a refreshing coconut chutney

I am a complete south indian although my parents hail from different states. I am passionate about south indian snack/ street food and love my idlis, dosa, medu vada, uttapam. I absolutely detest the watery sugary solution that passes off as sambar/ sambhar(as most non-south indians would refer to), and the urad dal adulterated coconut chutney in udupi restaurants.

I am on a mission to make ordinary people like you and me more aware of what we are spending our moolah on! and to promote good, healthy(within limits : p ), nutritious, wholesome satisfying food at prices that are not criminal.

I happen to go to College just like you and me and what often happens is, that I pick up a plate of idlis from a dark skinned gentleman who comes on a bicycle, who promptly packs it up for me since he knows that I always eat on the move. He charges a paltry Rs.10/- for a plate of idlis. I don't even need to tell you how many idlis he gives before you would conclude that what he is offering is truly DIRT cheap!

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the stall on hand but my memory serves me quite well. Dealing with the efforts put in by that poor chap to serve us demanding customers will really be a totally different post. Probably the next one. 

Lets limit our selves to a point of view of a customer. What I am concerned is whether I am getting VFM (value for money).

I happened to be extremely hungry so I purchased and parceled 2 plates of idli. Upon which I got this.....

20 bucks Parcel

Contents: (clockwise) Sambar, coconut chutney, idlis

Packaging contents: (Takeaway)

1. Small white plastic bag (visible in 1st picture) X 1 (Thin = 15-20 microns thick)

2. Thicker transparent plastic bags (medium)     X 2 (Thick= 25-30microns) (Offered to be packed separately hence = +2 (optional)

3. Same thicker transparent plastic bag (large) X 2 (Thick= 25-30microns) (Offered to be packed separately hence = +1 (optional)

In case you are having it there its just a regular paper plate.

Practically analyse this decision for packaging. Its absolutely logical. They have taken a cheap grade of plastic for the outer packaging and a better grade (thickness) for the food content, I'll go as far as to say food grade plastic bags for the sambar, idli and chutney. They probably cannot risk any of their food getting spoiled and risk bad publicity purely through word of mouth.

I decided to get rid of the packaging and examine the food a little closely.

All food taken out and

Food Content Data:

I used my trusty weighing scale for all weight measures.

1. Sambar = 140gm

2. Chutney = 120gm

3. Idlis (11 number) = 185-190gm

Since I took 2 portions lets average it out.

1. Sambar = 70gm, 2. Chutney = 60gm, Idlis = 95gm

Since I got 11 idlis I was a little confused but if one takes a conservative estimate = 5 idlis per portion.

I also measured the sambar and the chutney in a measuring jug:

1. Sambar = 150ml

2. Chutney=150ml

By elementary maths you should have already got an amazing fact.

Q. Whats the weight of an idli?

A. Total weight per portion/ no. of idlis = 95/5 = 19g

* I must inform you though that this is possibly the minimum weight of an idlis. In udupi restaurants the idlis are usually a little larger so probably 1 Idli in an udupi restaurant is equivalent to 2 idlis from this joint.

To drive home the idea again. I repeat you are only paying Rs.10/- for all of this up till this point. Not convincing enough?

Lets delve a little further into customer psychology and how people think

A Customers spending power (willingness to spend) is inversely proportional to his awaresness! 

I took the liberty to  check up the price of 1 plate of idli from an udupi restaurant close by. sure enough the price comes to Rs.20/-!! (this is a conservative number, some places it is more...). If one has the urge to have idlis in an A/C room it comes to around Rs.32/-

Yes...the same idli, becoming cold twice as fast in that god forsaken A/C room for 32 Bucks.

Pictures speak a thousand words so I thought I'd break down all the costs involved in one picture

A plate of Idli at an udupi restaurant

What is essentially is served:

1. Idlis = 4

2. Sambar  = 75ml

3. Chutney=75ml

4. Steel plate=1

5. Spoon=2

6. Unlimited drinking water= ??

So assuming in the first case scenario of the bicycle idli.

Out of Rs. 10: Food cost is probably Rs.6-Rs.6.5, overheads (Packaging, gas, transportations, storage, bribes??) would amount to another Rs.1-1.5. Profit per portion is probably not more than Rs. 2

Hence, even at such a micro level of a business the bicycle idli guy is relying on multiplicity value of commodity and relying on selling each and every idli he has made to probably realise some sort of substantial profit.

In the Udupi restaurant scenario:

Over heads are probably more due to operations but they are making a profit of probably close to Rs.3 Because inherently they are cutting down on ingredients (watery sambar, urad dal adulterated chutney).

The million dollar question is how does one assess the sales mix of home deliveries vs table service?

There probably is a rough thumb rule but  I am not aware. Thats where expenses can be balanced out and profit maximisation can really take place.

Ok too much heavy analysis lets get back to doing something fun.....

I had quite easily managed to measure weight and volume of sambar and chutney as well as the weight of an idli. But I thought I'd be that little more crazy and find the density of an idli.

So in true spirit of a culinary scientist, I did an experiment that would really help you do cool stuff at home. Just don't let your mom find out.

Finally tell me how much would you pay for a plate of idli in a 5 star hotel/ rather charged because noone likes to pay the bill in  a5 star hotel. I tried to present it in the best possible manner below. Also add a red chutney powder with some pure ghee (actually should be coconut oil) but yes it is offered by many 5 star hotels. The costs involved are still the same as that 32 rupee plate of idli, in the A/C section of that udupi restaurant. Only thing is that your idli will look something like.

It is a sad fact but so bloody hell true that people essentially eat with their eyes first and customers are suckers for substandard food repackaged and sold in a glorified platform.

The sadder reality is the fact that the food service industry relies on selling average food at  presented well at exhorbitant prices, where I will specifically be critical and zero in on five stars.

Cost vs Quality deficit in food can only be bridged by consumer awareness......

So all you smart guys and gorgeous girls out there before you put any morsel of food in your mouth that you have had to pay for, think for a second whether it is really worth every penny and your palate.

Cheers!

COMMENTS WELCOME.

Please follow the blog if you liked the post!

A humble visit to "Bharatiya Vijay Hindu Hotel"

As I stepped out of the hustle and bustle of goregaon station. Something growled, I looked around for some sort of mangy mutt troubling some old gujju lady and then I realised it was infact my stomach that was carrying out vociferous protests. In a stereotypical scenario I would have gone to the regular hunting grounds, "Sai Veg World" or had assorted bhajiyas Rs10/- and satisfied my hunger only to rush and catch a bus. But today, when I came to think of the fact that I have lived in Goregaon for nearly 4-5 years and hadn't explored the so-called unconventional/ unhygienic/ small eateries. I decided to look around for an eatery that I hadn't visited before. This wasn't very difficult as when I came to actually searching for a place to eat I crossed atleast 3-4 hotels but Id decide that I didn't want to splurge on something I had not savoured before and hence that sort of aided me in my decision.

The one thing that immediately struck me was the fact that they were so specific in mentioning what they sold,
Fafda, Jillebi, Chai, Coffee!
To be frank, I was never convinced by the idea of either of the three components fitting into my idea of a wholesome meal with a high satiety value. With fafda you can't really go wrong, then again may be you can. As a kid I was allergic to jillebis, even the sight of one of those gawdy orange concentric rings would give me an asthma attack. Over the years human nature has taken over me and well I have become immune, but in any case I have absolutely no idea as to what to expect from the perfect jillebi.

On entering the "hotel", on my right I saw, 2 x 7 covers with a couple of people already seated, a well dressed gentleman who I presumed was the cashier and owner? of the place. I propped myself on one of the seats to the right. A few curious eyes swept the room. A little out of place, who cared? A guy who I presumed to be the waiter approached me with two glasses of water and slid both onto the table with utmost finesse. I glanced at the board and a little hesitantly asked him to get a plate of Fafda, to which he promptly asked, "Jillebi nahi lenge?" I glanced across at the nicely arranged tray of jillebis under the Sun lamp, They looked wonderfully juicy, succulent and shimmering almost lustful to look at like the legs of a stunning woman with wonderful glowing skin.

Okay, maybe we should stop at that.
In short I couldn't resist it especially since another guy across my table was eating just that.
Almost instantaneously I was served a plate of probably 8-10 pieces of Fafda and 3 jilebis also some sort of Slaw at the side. I also ordered a cutting chai. I dug into the fafda because it looked like the safest thing to start off with. It was not as crisp as I thought it would be but at the same time it wasn't as though it had gone damp because of keeping it outside. After a couple of bites I started enjoying the rich taste of dalda (okay maybe not as rich as butter), i took a bite of the jillebi and it confounded my senses it was crispier than the fafda although it didn't look as crispy. At this point of confusion I decided to go for the mystery slaw. On further enquiry I found out that the slaw was prepared with raw papaya that had been i presume grated/to make sure that some sort of juice does come out of it on keeping it outside and the flavour of the green chilly really give it some depth (+turmeric+greenchillies). There didn't seemed to be any sort of salt in the slaw that confounded me further but on further analysis I figured that there was sufficient amount of salt in the fafda to compensate. The container with the slaw was kept outside near the sun lamp of the fafda which again seemed a little odd since at the end of the day there was no sort of preservative and the heat from the sun lamp could possibly lead to the spoilage of that raw unprocessed slaw, the papaya seemed to have given off some water, i can only imagine how amazing that water might have tasted if added in the form of a dressing or as a part of a marinade. When I had the slaw, the dish was truly complete. And I thought to myself, this has really, got depth. At some point several decades ago some smart&/hungry&/jobless gujju has had all of these together and has manged to wonderfully fuse these 3 components into one dish and make it a real seller. The cutting chai was the added bonus. It was good enough for me to order a repeat and really savour the food that I had just eaten.

Going a little deeper: It occured to me.

1. After a couple of bites the fat in the fafda tends to coat the palate, hence the numerous glasses of water, slaw to cleanse the palate.
2. The taste of fafda can really get monotonous due to again the high faat content and the placid nature of besan(gram flour). The Ajwain added a minor dimension but didn't have a notable presence.
3. What better than to contrast saltiness with sweetness of the jillebies.
4. The texture of the fafda and the jilebi was very different although both are fried articles and that kept the interest going in the dish.
5. The sugar content in the jilebi was just right for me, since it didn't aggressively over power the sweetness in the chai.

On the menu, I interestingly saw a beverage on the menu called:

1. Tum Tum Chai - Rs.10/-

By the time I had spotted it, i'd already paid and decided I leave it for another day.
My bill came to a paltry Rs.24/- but the experience I had was worth a lot more.

What I learnt today?

Epicurean experiences are very similar to trying to remember the dream you had last night. You know the outline but the details seem to fade away very soon. So I decided to pen my thoughts PIPING HOT!

About the blog in a crispy fragile nutshell.......

Response seems to be quite promising with 3 followers falling into my gastronomique (french influence) trap.

The TITLE of the blog in some respects defines who I am, and my approach to food and life in general. I am bursting at the seams (not the ones at waist) with ideas and well....just need a platform to express them in a fun, interesting and almost always in a thought provocative manner.

As for CONTENT of the blog, the picture above describes it better than a 1000 words can. It can be absolutely anything, but will nearly always involve some aspect of food/drink/leisure activity. I hope to impart clarity of thought to my post and even if one person who reads this manages to stand back and figure out the bigger picture of life. I will be honoured.

Another spur-o-the-moment influence was this particular video: (Check it out!)

What is culinology?

I am aspiring to achieve something close to what these guys are doing and bring these ideas to India, where true inspiration and growth lies! If anyone is interested further in the above discipline do contact me on Facebook!

Anmol Menon

Hey there everyone......

Every new blog ends up starting with a an elaborate description of what it IS all about when as a reader you often want to know what all it isn't about. This blog isn't about:

1. Top government food secrets to take over the world.
2. Showing you pictures of delicious food that'll make you feel hungry at work. (Okay, may be a little)
3. Taking a banana and trying to mutate it into a mango.
4. Being theoretical as is practical.
5. Thinking conventionally as is thinking out of the box.
6. Work as much as play.
7. Reality as much as dreams.
Finally....
8. Coldplay going out of business and opening up a cheesy restaurant with the same name.

Enough for now. Attention span of most humans, don't really exceed the above word limit so stay tuned for my official post that in fact will deal with the blog title and subsequent content of the blog. So if you are convinced enough by the above posts, please do click on the "Follow" button to your right and I'l assure you that you will be unconditionally entertained and turn out surprisingly enlightened.

Ciao!