This is my take on the Assamese black sesame chicken. The original dish, which gets its zing from the earthy, rustic flavours of black sesame, is rather popular in Assam. My version is simple. It can be cooked in no time and can be served both as an appetiser or a side with the main course.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    00 h 35 m

Ingredients

  • 500 gm boneless chicken thigh (cut into 25-30 gm pieces)
  • ¾ cup soaked and cleaned black sesame seeds
  • ½ cup mustard oil
  • 2 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 3-4 green chillies
  • Salt to taste
  • Handful of fresh coriander

Preparation

  1. In a blender, toss in all the ingredients, except the chicken, and grind them into a fine paste.
  2. Marinate the chicken pieces with this paste for at least 15 minutes.
  3. Grill the chicken in a tandoor or an oven. Or grill it on stove top.
  4. Serve hot with a dip of your choice. The Bengali kasundi goes particularly well with this.

Written by

Pawan Bisht

Chef Pawan Bisht is the Corporate Chef at One8 by Virat, Mango, Verandah and Fat Cat Bistro in New Delhi. A graduate of the Institute of Hotel Management in Mumbai, he has previously headed Olive Beach in New Delhi and helped launch restaurants like SodaBottleOpenerWala, Junglee Billee and others. European cuisine is his strength, but by his own admission, his heart lies in regional Indian food.

See more by Pawan Bisht