We often test Zoya by asking her which of our two restaurants she likes better. For us, it is like choosing between two children. For her there is a clear winner at the moment. She loves Cassia because they serve her favourite chicken brioche. She can devour two of these mini burgers quite easily. At the restaurant we make our own brioche with curry powder and fennel seeds but it’s easier to use store-bought slider buns at home. They are a great choice for parties and we also find that they are a subtle way to introduce children to spices. Kids love helping to assemble all the little rolls to serve.
Chicken
| 10 | Slider buns, or brioche rolls (Main) |
| 5 | Boneless chicken thighs, skinnless, each piece cut in half (Main) |
| 1 Tbsp | Ginger garlic paste, grate ginger and garlic and mix together to form a paste |
| 1 tsp | Salt |
| 1 | Lemon, juiced |
| 2 Tbsp | Greek yoghurt, or any thick yoghurt |
| 1 pinch | Chilli powder, add more if not for kids |
| 1 tsp | Paprika |
| 1 tsp | Ground coriander |
| 1 tsp | Ground cumin |
| 5 | Bamboo skewers |
| 1 tsp | Tandoori masala |
Coriander relish
| 50 g | Cashew nuts, or any nuts you may prefer |
| 4 | Green chillies, or more to taste |
| 1 piece | Fresh ginger, thumb sized, peeled and roughly chopped |
| 4 cloves | Garlic, peeled |
| 1 bunch | Coriander, roots removed, stems and leaves roughly chopped (Main) |
| ½ cup | Mint leaves |
| 1 | Lemon, juiced |
| 3 tsp | Sugar |
Slaw
| ½ | Cucumbers, julienned |
| ¼ | Cabbages, shredded |
| 1 | Lemon, juiced |
Directions
- In a bowl mix the chicken with ginger/garlic paste and salt. Cover and leave to marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and leave to marinate in the fridge for another 6 hours or preferably overnight.
- Skewer the chicken pieces and cook on a grill pan or barbecue or under the grill in an oven at 190C, turning frequently until chicken is cooked. You can test the meat by cutting in. You should see no pink meat.
Coriander relish
- First grind the cashews, now add all the other ingredients to your blender with a little water and blitz. Keep blitzing until you reach a thick consistency.
- You may need to slowly add water to achieve this. Season with salt to taste. The coriander relish will keep in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
For the slaw
Mix all together in a bowl.
To assemble
- Cut open each roll horizontally, spread a little butter or olive oil on each open side and grill on a hot grill pan, barbecue or in the oven.
- Place a piece of chicken on the bottom half of the roll. Put a dash of the coriander relish on top of the chicken and top with some slaw.
- You can also add some yoghurt mixed with mint to take off the heat for the little ones.
- Place the top half of the roll and enjoy.
Note
Tandoori masala: This spice powder blend is easily found in the spice section of your supermarket and at Indian grocers.
*“Hospo”, short for hospitality, is a term used regularly in the hospitality industry. Chand and Sid Sahrawat own the restaurants, Sidart and Cassia, so their daughter Zoya has been part of the hospitality industry from day one, hence the term “hospobaby”.