One of the restaurants I worked for used to host fun monthly competitions in the kitchen to boost the chefs’ creativity. Once we were asked to create a dish that combined two cuisines. I picked Mumbai and Mexico and created this dish which not only won the competition but also got featured on the menu of many of their special meals. The simplicity of the ingredients and the similarity in the flavours really make the dish come together. Also, the karonda (carvandah) is a fun, unusual ingredient to work with and it amplifies the flavours.

  • Serves

    2

  • Cook Time

    04 h 00 m

Ingredients

For Tostadas

  • 2 large tortillas

For Stuffing

  • 250 gm minced chicken
  • 75 gm hung curd
  • 1 ½ tbsp coriander, chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
  • 1 tbsp Peri Peri seasoning
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3-4 green chillies, minced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Zest of half a lime
  • Oil to sear
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For Koshimbir

  • 50 gm hung curd
  • 1½ tbsp coriander, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1-2 green chillies, chopped
  • ½ avocado, chopped
  • Salt to taste

For Karonda Slaw

  • 50 gm chilled lettuce, julienned
  • 5-6 karonda, thinly sliced
  • Salt and red chilli powder to taste

Preparation

  1. Using a round cutter, divide the big tortillas into 6 small circles.

For Stuffing

  1. In a bowl, whisk the hung curd with turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper and minced chillies.
  2. In another bowl, combine the chicken with chopped onions, garlic, coriander, ginger, and lime zest.
  3. Pour the yogurt mix into bowl with chicken and mix thoroughly. Let it marinate for 2-3 hours at least.
  4. Once it is marinated, make little patties out of the mince.
  5. Heat oil in a pan and fry the patties, flipping to ensure each one is cooked through.

For Koshimbir

  1. Mix everything, except the avocado, together. Once done, add in the avocado and mix very gently to avoid mushing it.

For The Slaw

  1. Soak the lettuce and karonda in icy water for a few minutes.
  2. Drain and dust with salt and chilli powder.

To Serve

  1. Heat the tortillas discs in a pan.
  2. Top each disc with a patty and a generous amount of the koshimbir.
  3. Top with the slaw and serve hot.

Written by

Urvika Kanoi

Urvika Kanoi is a chef and restaurateur based in Kolkata. She originally wanted a career in Bollywood and enrolled in a filmmaking course at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. But she soon realised that her heart was in the kitchen and earned a Diploma de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu, London. In Kolkata, Kanoi started her gourmet catering outfit The Food Studio and later co-founded the gastropub Bodega Cantina Y Bar off Park Street. Currently, she is the owner and chef at The Daily, a café dedicated to seasonal and sustainable eating.

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