Chicken Sekuwa Crispy Chiura Bowl with Cucumber-Sesame Achar

Method

1. Cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces and put it in a bowl with the mustard oil, finely grated garlic and ginger, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, coarsely crushed timur, half the lemon juice and most of the salt. Massage well and marinate in the fridge for 30 min.

   Add in this stepBoneless, skinless chicken thighs 300 gMustard oil (or vegetable oil) 1½ tbspGarlic cloves 3Fresh ginger 10 gGround cumin 1 tspGround turmeric ½ tspChilli powder 1 tspTimur (Nepali Sichuan pepper) ½ tspLemon juice ¾ tbspSalt ¾ tsp

2. Meanwhile make the achar: toast the sesame in a dry pan on medium-low heat for 2 min until golden and grind it finely in a mortar. Cut the cucumber into 1.5 cm cubes and slice the green chilli, then toss with the ground sesame, the remaining lemon juice and the rest of the salt. It is ready when the sesame coats the cucumber like a thick dressing.

   Add in this stepSesame seeds 2 tbspCucumber 1Green chilli 1Lemon juice ¾ tbspSalt ¼ tsp

   medium-low heat

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan on medium heat, add the chiura and stir constantly for 1 min 30 sec, until the flakes puff slightly, turn crisp and pale gold; lift straight onto kitchen paper. It can burn within seconds, so do not look away.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for the chiura) 2 tbspChiura (beaten rice) 40 g

   medium heat

4. Heat a 26 cm grill pan or frying pan on medium-high heat, spread out the chicken without the pieces touching and cook for 10 min, turning every 3 minutes, until the edges are charred and the thickest piece runs clear when cut (74 °C in the centre).

   medium-high heat

5. Put warm rice in bowls and arrange the chicken, cucumber achar, sliced tomato and thinly sliced red onion around it. Add a spoonful of yoghurt, scatter with coriander and, just before eating, top generously with the crispy chiura.

   Add in this stepCooked basmati rice (or any rice) 300 gTomato 1Red onion ½Coriander leaves 8 gPlain yoghurt 80 g