Name: Lahori chargha (Steamed and flash-fried whole chicken with an aromatic spice blend)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: salt, to taste; 1 tsp each grated ginger and crushed garlic; 1 kg/2¼ lb whole chicken, skinned; 2 large tbsp chargha masala; 100 g/3½ oz/scant ½ cup Greek yogurt; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped; ¼ tsp red food colour (optional); 1 lemon; sunflower oil, for frying

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
55 min

Appears in

Summers Under the Tamarind Tree

By Sumayya Usmani

Published 2016

About

Walking along food streets in Lahore, my attention was always drawn to the vibrant orange-coloured chickens stacked up on large stainless-steel platters. Chargha is a whole chicken marinated overnight, steamed and then flash-fried to give it a caramelised flavour and crispy skin.

Ingredients

1 kg/2¼ lb whole chicken, skinned
2 large tbsp c

Method

Score the chicken all over with a sharp knife. Mix the yogurt, ginger, garlic, vinegar, red food colour, if using, and salt together in a large bowl until well combined. Add the ground chargha masala then add the chicken and turn until the chicken is coated. Cover with clingfilm and allow to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, or overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the