Chai Pani’s Malabar Chicken
Chai Pani, Asheville North Carolina
If you had to reinvent yourself…if your family’s future, and your personal joy, depended on a new career choice, what would you do?
In the last couple years, many have had to ask themselves this question and resolved that life can be different. No, life can be BETTER than it was before. The brave have pressed a mental reset button and haven’t looked back!
Our friends Meherwan and Molly Irani did just that, a little over a year ago. They tell the story of a pivotal discussion while driving home from vacation in June 2009. With the real estate market crumbling beneath them, they asked each other, “How can we make a living doing something we love? What are we passionate about?” The answer? Food. They were passionate about food.
August 2009, in the middle of the worst economic crisis of our time, they opened the doors of Chai Pani–a ‘fast-casual’ restaurant focusing on affordable Indian street food. They had no experience in the restaurant business and lacked the know-how to run a professional kitchen, but they are smart and resourceful.
Meherwan’s mom flew in from India to collaborate on the menu and help train the cooks. The first three days of business had such an overwhelming response, they ran out of food and had to shut the doors early! They closed shop for 3 more days to revamp their tactics. Then they reopened Chai Pani and have been kicking tail ever since!
Chai Pani just had its first birthday and has doubled all projections this year. It has received the Mountain Express Editior’s Pick for ‘Best New Restaurant’ and ‘Best Lunch’ in 2009. A slightly higher honor (in my opinion) is that it has become an unofficial hangout for some well respected chefs in town!
Meherwan explains, India does not have a restaurant-culture like the US. Most Indians cook well, so they eat at home. When they do eat out, they grab something quick from a street vendor. What you are served at most Indian restaurants in the states is Northern Indian cuisine with a slight British influence. This food would only be served in high-end restaurants in India, not eaten by the vast population.
The Irani’s dream was to intermingle street food with home-cooked dishes from all over India–and prepare them with local and organic ingredients. Meherwan reveals, “Chai Pani offers a new flavor experience for most Americans, because the food is AUTHENTIC. This is how Indians eat.”
The authenticity, quality and prices keep Asheville coming back for more!
The Iranis cordially offered their Malabar Chicken Curry recipe (served on the Thali Plate) to A Spicy Perspective. A vivacious south Indian favorite with tropical flair, that seamlessly marries robust earthy flavors, heat and acidity with the rich cooling effect of coconut. Trust me, this recipe is a keeper!
To prepare Chai Pani’s Malabar Chicken Curry:
Pour ½ cup oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and red chiles.
Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add the ginger and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the onions to brown until they are dark and soft enough the smash with a spatula—about 25-30 minutes.
Add the chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and cilantro—mix together.
Raise the heat back to medium and add the tomatoes, salt, and lime juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have disintegrated and the oil separates out—15-20 minutes.
Add ½ cup of water and 1 cup coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat.
In a separate skillet, heat 1 Tb. of oil over high. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides, leaving the centers pink—2-4 minutes.
Add the chicken to the curry and simmer 5-7 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. Serve over basmati rice.
Chai Pani’s Malabar Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil + 1 tablespoon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 12-15 curry leaves finely chopped
- 2-3 small dried red chiles cayenne, bird...
- 4 cups chopped red onion about 2 large onions
- 2 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and/or stems
- 3 cups chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Instructions
- Pour 1/2 cup oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and red chiles.
- Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add the ginger and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the onions to brown until they are dark and soft enough the smash with a spatula—about 25-30 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and cilantro—mix together.
- Raise the heat back to medium and add the tomatoes, salt, and lime juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have disintegrated and the oil separates out—15-20 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat.
- In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides, leaving the centers pink—2-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the curry and simmer 5-7 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. Serve over basmati rice.
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I found a Malabari restaurant in Toronto this summer and it was the best Indian food I have ever had, so I'm SO excited to find this recipe. Thank you!
delicious love the addition of coriander into the sauce
oh my goodness ….that curry reminds me of back home soo badly. delicious presentation! where is this restaurant?
Thank you Sommer for sharing our story – we are so touched! We love A Spicy Perspective and are so proud of what you have created with your blog and your classes. With all the hard work involved in following your dreams and what you truly love, there is nothing better! Thank you all for your endearing comments and feedback – here's to following what you love and some good home cooked food!!
I feel like this is a dish I could actually make. I can almost smell it. I have no experience with this type of cooking, but I'm game to try.
That is a gorgeous curry – even my mum would approve and she's no curry pushover! Your photos do great justice to the food :)
Your friends are lucky to succeed spectacularly at something they love so much – I bet it never feels like they're going to work!!
The food sounds fantastic! And they are adorable. How nice of them to share a recipe. It looks absolutely delicious – I bet I could even pass this off on my Indian food hating family without them even realizing what they were eating.
A wonderful place! Lovely food.
your curry looks mighty good! I am drooling…
Cheers,
Rosa
Ask them to open up a branch in vegas too…LOL
I badly miss Indian street food in here! Cant make everything at home :(
Its licked my lips while browsing!!!!
Cheers
Tanvi
http://sinfullyspicy.wordpress.com
What a wonderful story, its not very often that we get to spend our days doing something that we love.
This is a lovely piece. The photos are mouth-watering, and the dish actually looks feasible to make! I loved the feature on the restaurant as well–it's inspiring to see people who love street food themes succeed! Thanks for posting.
I completely agree, this is what Indians eat. Looks very homey.Oops.. i am drooling at the Malabar chicken curry. I blog hopped from Indian Simmer and I am so glad I did. Looking forward to connect with you. Happy Blogging!
What a wonderful post and story…The food looks amazing :)
Sommer…I'll have to go easy on the heat (really sensitive to it) and you certainly picked a winner of a dish…looks so appetizing.
How very nice of you to showcase your friends' life changing story the way you did. I really admire their courage. With support from friends like you…they never did to worry of failure.
Great, warming post.
Ciao for now,
Claudia
great story, I love that they followed their passion, I wish them all the best…lovely recipe..
ps…missed ya girl, catching up on old post..
sweetlife
What a great story and the Malabar Chicken Curry looks absolutely amazing!
I'm so glad things worked out for the owners of Chai Pani… I love the food from Malabar and the fish curry I'm sure is absolutely delish!