Fusion-Inspired Chicken flavours from Indian, Asian, and Western cuisines are blended. Here with urid dal lentils
Fusion-Inspired Chicken
Fusion-Inspired Chicken is a dish where various culinary cultures meet. Here, flavours from Indian, Asian, and Western cuisines are blended. Asian spices are combined with classic Indian lentils such as chana dal, or similar types, and it’s topped with a typical Western mushroom sauce. The result is a balanced and nutritious dinner with low fat content, high in protein and fibre, and low in carbohydrates.
Chana dal, maybe lesser-known, is highly valued in Indian vegetarian cuisine for its high protein content and low glycaemic index of 8. To source the ingredients, a visit to an immigrant store may be necessary, but you can also use other types of lentils that have a shorter cooking time. Regardless of the type, lentils contain a lot of protein and fibre. If you prefer a more traditional side, you can substitute the lentils with rice. Adding a bit of turmeric or saffron to the cooking water will give you a beautifully yellow-coloured and typically Indian-inspired rice, which results in more carbohydrates but fewer proteins and fibre, as well as a higher glycaemic index. The recipe serves three people. You can easily freeze any excess, or use it as a warm lunch the following day.
Ingredients
500 g chicken fillet or similar pure chicken meat
2 dl chana dal (approx. 190g dry)
250 g green peas
Salt/pepper
Mushroom sauce – see separate recipe: Mushroom sauce
Marinade
200ml neutral oil
2-3 tsp hot curry
1/2 tsp turmeric
2-3 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
2-3 tsp lemon juice or lemon essence
Directions
- Soak the chana dal in a bowl for at least two hours beforehand. If using other types of lentils, follow the instructions on the package.
- Then cook the chana dal in a pot with plenty of water. Chana dal is hardy, and it takes between 45 to 60 minutes to cook, depending on soaking time. Important: Do not add salt to the water until the end of the cooking time. The lentils are ready when they are tender. Due to the high protein content, you need to skim off impurities at the beginning of the cooking time, just as when you cook meat.
- Cut the chicken fillets into 2×2 cm cubes.
- Thoroughly mix all the ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken pieces in a bag or in a bowl, ensuring all the meat is covered with the marinade. If using a bag, tie it up and shake well so that the marinade is evenly distributed over the meat. Let the meat marinate for at least one hour. If you wish to marinate longer, place it in the fridge.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Just before cooking, pour the chicken into a colander to allow most of the marinade to drain off.
Tip: You can also use Mung dal lentils, which require a slightly shorter soaking and cooking time. These have a slightly higher glycaemic index, around 25, but it is still quite low. To simplify during a busy day, you might opt for a ready-made mushroom sauce, but the taste of a homemade mushroom sauce is significantly better, and you avoid artificial additives.
Frying: Fry the chicken in a frying pan at relatively high heat with a little oil. Frequently turn the meat to prevent burning due to the sugar in the sweet soy sauce. The chicken should become slightly caramelised, but not burnt. Grind some salt and pepper over it while frying.
Served: Serve with boiled green peas, lentils and mushroom sauce. Alternative for lentils with rice.
Allergy: The dish is gluten-free if you use gluten-free soy sauce, and it is lactose-free if you follow the advice for the mushroom sauce. The dish contains high FODMAP.
What is teriyaki, see a brief article: Teriyaki
Read more about legumes and why as lentils and beans are healthy: Lentils and beans
Learn more about different types of lentils and their nutritional content: Lentils nutrition