BENGALURU: Once I went to a mall in search of new ingredients/items in the market as this is my first visit to India and I wanted to explore for my new menu. While shopping, I found a unique type of chicken, black chicken which caught my attention and I decided it to try it.It is known as Kadaknath chicken or kali masi. This rear bird is an Indian breed of chicken local to Jhauba and Dhar districts of eastern Madhya Pradesh.
The unique breeds of chicken are completely black. The black plumage with a greenish iridescence gives the bird its colour; it has black legs and toenails, black beak and tongue, black comb and wattles, black meat and bones and dark organs. The Kadaknath is popular for its adaptability and the taste of its black meat, which is believed to infuse vigour. Its colour stems from melanin and due to its high protein and very low fat and cholesterol levels, it is in high demand. Its fat content is 0.73 — 1.03% compared to 13 to 25% in most other chicken breeds.
Because of its hard meat, I tried cooking it with the sous vide method along with some Italian herbs such as sage and rosemary at 65 degrees for more than eight hours and people are loving it. It is similar to a chicken but has a characteristic flavour, stronger than chicken.
I finally merged the Italian culture along with the Indian one, putting this flavoursome chicken in a typical Italian risotto with saffron. I call it Risotto Zafferano E Pollo Nero. The chicken legs we use for main course are prepared along with some salted butter, and served with some steamed vegetables, pre-plated and smocked with a smoking gun flavoured apple wood. The remaining meat is used to add in a special salad with different kinds of microgreens and lettuce along with some celery juice. I call it Insalata Del Mio Giardino.
The challenge I faced initially was to understand the new product, its flavour, colour and especially, the cooking method of each and every parts of the chicken because of its unique texture. I experimented approximately 50 times with various cooking methods, different flavours and doneness.
Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway