Kale pakoras and Keralan fried chicken: Khushbu Shah’s Indian-American recipes

Amrikan (UM-ree-kan) is a noun or adjective that Indians use to describe all things American. It’s America with a desi accent. The story of Indian food in America is in many ways the story of my family. I am the proud child of immigrants and very much a product of this diaspora. But my family’s story is just one piece of the puzzle. Indian-American food is some of the most exciting and accessible Indian cooking out there. It’s a cuisine shaped by waves of immigration, resourceful home cooks and generations determined to preserve their heritage while creating new traditions that honour their adopted homeland along the way.
There are several styles of Indian fried chicken, and this is my favourite. Kerala fried chicken has a pleasant, mild heat, so it won’t blow your tongue off, and it’s spiffed up with fresh coriander and mint, and crowned with crisp curry leaves. The recipe is inspired by Atlanta-based chef Asha Gomez, and the brilliant version in her cookbook My Two Souths. Traditionally, the chicken is marinated in coconut milk, but Gomez swaps that for buttermilk, a staple in many Southern fried chicken recipes. If you are vegetarian or don’t want to eat fried chicken, the same marinade works well with cauliflower, paneer and oyster mushrooms – after all, there’s no reason KFC can’t stand for Keralan fried cauliflower, too.
Prep 30 minRest 12 hr +
Cook 15 min
Serves 4
For the chicken 240ml buttermilk 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, or 2 tbsp garlic paste2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated, or 1 tbsp ginger paste3 green serrano or jalapeño chillies, stalks, pith and seeds removed½ bunch fresh coriander½ bunch fresh mint
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
4 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
For the curry leaf mayo2 tbsp neutral oil
15-20 fresh curry leaves
2 tbsp white sesame seeds 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, or 1 tbsp garlic paste60g mayonnaise
For frying and assembly Neutral oil120g plain flour
1 tsp salt 10-20 fresh curry leaves, to garnish Ghee or butter4 hamburger buns, sliced in half 12 slices bread and butter pickles (optional)
Put the buttermilk, garlic, ginger, chillies, herbs, salt and garam masala in a blender and blitz smooth. (If you’re not marinating the chicken immediately, put the marinade in a container, seal and refrigerate for up to two days.) Put one chicken thigh in a large freezer bag, press out the air (but don’t seal the bag), then use a rolling pin or meat tenderiser to pound the chicken to less than 1cm thick. (if you’d prefer a juicier sandwich, aim for nearer 1cm.) Repeat with the remaining three thighs, then put all four thighs in the bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag, shake to make sure all the chicken is well coated, then refrigerate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
On the day you want to eat the sandwiches, make the curry leaf mayo. Put the oil in a small frying pan on a medium heat until it’s shimmering. Stir in the curry leaves, sesame seeds and garlic, then turn off the heat; the curry leaves will continue to crisp up as they cool. Put the mayo in a small bowl, then stir in the cooled curry leaf mixture. Wipe out the pan – you will use it later to griddle the buns.
To fry the chicken, pour 5-6cm of neutral oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pan and heat it to 180C/350F. Line a baking sheet with foil and put a wire rack on it. In a shallow dish, whisk the flour and salt.
Take the chicken out of the bag, shake off any excess marinade, then dredge each one in the flour mixture, making sure they’re evenly coated. Fry the chicken in batches for four to five minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through, then transfer to the rack. Quickly fry the curry leaves in the hot oil for about 10 seconds, until crisp, then sprinkle them on top of the chicken.
Return the small frying pan to a medium heat. Spread ghee on the cut sides of each bun and fry cut side down until golden. Spread a light layer of curry leaf mayo on the griddled sides of each bun. Put one fried chicken thigh on the bottom half of each bun, then top first with three pickles, if using, put on the top half of the bun and serve.
Indians can transform nearly anything into a pakora, which is one of my favourite deep-fried things, not least because of the chickpea flour batter, which makes for a dense, golden, savoury coating. Kale isn’t native to India, but it works very well as a pakora – I especially love it dunked into coriander and mint or tamarind chutney.
Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 4
200-250g curly kale 250g chickpea flour
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder ½ tsp salt Neutral oil, for frying Chutneys, to serve
Wash the kale, dry it thoroughly, then remove and discard the stems. Tear the leaves in half horizontally.
In a medium bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Add 300ml cold water and whisk again until the mix is the consistency of thick pancake batter.
Put at least 8cm of oil in a wok or large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 180C/350F. Dip a kale leaf in the batter, so it’s completely coated, shake off any excess, then drop it into the hot oil. Repeat with two or three more leaves (don’t overcrowd the pan), then fry for three minutes or so, until crisp on both sides. Lift out with a slotted spoon or spider, drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and repeat with the rest of the kale and batter. Serve hot with your chutney of choice for dipping.