Choila

Roxanne’s chicken choila follows a dish she encountered in Nepal. Her selected version combines chicken, spring onions and a cooked tomato-and-chilli paste, while her discussion also mentions buffalo and beef versions.

The chicken is marinated with mustard oil, salt, pepper and turmeric. In a separate covered pan, dried red chillies, garlic and tomatoes cook in a little mustard oil until the tomatoes blister.

The cooked tomatoes are peeled and cooled with the garlic and chillies. These ingredients are blended with red chilli powder, pepper and the selected optional green chillies to make the paste.

The chicken chars on one side over high heat, then continues cooking at a lower flame. Chopped spring-onion whites and greens and coriander are added, followed by heated mustard oil poured over the same mixture.

The tomato paste joins the cooked chicken for a final brief cooking stage. Optional extra coriander finishes the dish, which is served hot; Roxanne offers rice and dal together as accompaniments.