This recipe can be traced back to Chennai , India.  It can be  had as a starter or snack item. It has distinctively an Indian flavour since its tempering is done with mustard seeds , curry leaves and whole red chilies that in the end it makes a flavourful and aromatic dish.

The beauty of this recipe is that the chicken has a crispy crust from the outer side but remains juicy from inside, with an Indian tadka.

Now  there are different styles of making this recipe —- Andhra style, restaurant style  or Hyderabad style. but I will show you the one which  me and my family like most ——— that is my style —– 🙂

It is a deep-fried chicken dish which can be prepared both with boneless or with bone. it needs marination  of the chicken pieces for 5 to 6 hours .

If you are curious about the naming of the dish :

There  are some popular stories around the naming of the dish. The most popular one believes that this dish was introduced in 1965 by a Buhari Hotel in Chennai by A.M Buhari a pioneer in South Indian food industry.

Another story —— The dish uses 65 ingredients -ha ha —– but this is the most simplest recipe to make to tell you the truth.

There is another popular belief that this dish was numbered 65 in the menu card of indian military canteen in Chennai  —— (most believable theory) —–

Whatever the reason maybe but we are concerned about the preparing and tasting part of this particularly fried juicy dish.

Serves 4 to 5 people

Star Ingredient :

Mustard Seeds  and  Curry leaves

Main ingredients:

• 500 gm of boneless chicken
• 2 to 3 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste
• One cup of curd
• 1 egg
• 3 teaspoon of cornflour
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• handful of curry leaves
• 4 to 5 tablespoon of sunflower oil
• 2 teaspoon of finely sliced ginger and garlic
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 to 2 teaspoon of red chili powder depending upon how much spiciness one want
• 4 to 5 whole red chili
• Salt according to taste

Method:

Boneless chicken should be cut into finger sized pieces. Marinate the chicken  with ginger garlic paste , turmeric , red chili powder, salt and curd for 4 to 5 hours.

Heat oil in a frying pan and start frying the chicken pieces in batches,  take out when it turns golden in colour. Keep it aside.

Now take a fresh  pan , put some oil onto it.  Put in some mustard seeds, curry leaves and whole red chilies, when it starts  aromatic add in the finely sliced ginger and garlic, saute it for a minute or two , add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and last but not the least —– the chicken pieces. Toss for 5 minutes adjust the seasoning and now your chicken 65 is ready  to serve.

You can have it as a starter or as a main dish , it’s your choice —- anyways its delicious –we  had it with lemon rice ——-

Happy cooking——— 🙂