Chicken Chaap

To someone born and brought up in Kolkata, food and culture are somehow synonymous and matters of proud inheritance. Talking about Kolkata’s illustrious food history, it is hard to miss the omnipresent influence of Mughlai cuisine and Awadhi ingenuity, a perfect blend of which gives rise to one of the most iconic indulgences the city has to offer—the enigmatic Chicken Chaap.

The word "chaap" refers to a specific cut of a lamb’s ribs used extensively in Mughlai cuisine for its unmatched succulence. Though Mutton Chaap has its fair share of admirers, it is the Chicken Chaap that has revolutionised the Mughlai palettes of Kolkata and garnered accolades from near and far. The preparation involves cooking whole chicken legs, including the thighs, in a royal gravy of freshly grounded garam masala, shahi jeera, rose water, poppy and melon seeds, roasted gram flour, and cashew and coconut paste, with oil and ghee in quantities as generous as it can get. The secret to creating the perfectly moist and flavour packed Chaap is cooking the dish in its trademark lagan (shallow flat-bottomed pans) slowly on a low heat for hours, allowing the meat to tenderise and the gravy to smoothen. The dish is traditionally enjoyed with Rumali Roti or a sumptuous plate of Mutton Biryani.

There is no doubt that the recipe for Chicken Chaap is the brainchild of Awadhi cooks and patrons. In fact, most Mughlai dishes of Kolkata were popularised following the advent of the Nawabs in the 18th century. But Chicken Chaap and other nuanced regal recipes are believed to have originated around the time of transfer of erstwhile Bengal’s capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad during the reign of Murshid Quli Khan. This is evident from the fact that the Chaap is an equally popular but slightly varied dish in both modern Kolkata and Bangladesh.

Some historians opine that the mass popularisation of Kolkata’s Mughlai platter took place in the latter half of the British era when Kolkata became the place of refuge for ousted Nawabs like Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh and Tipu Sultan’s family from Mysore. The royals brought along their favourite Khansamas (cooks) and Masalchis (spice mixers) who, with time, dispersed into the city’s local population and from their vast knowledge of Mughal spices and Persian cooking methods gave birth to modern delicacies like the irresistible Chicken Chaap.