Chicken with Bamboo shoots | Chore Gaja Khar | Hajong Recipe

Chicken with Bamboo Shoots

This is one of my favourite traditional pre-monsoon dishes. Fresh bamboo shoots or “Bas Gajja” rules the markets in North-East India during this time of the year; paving the roads on both sides which looks like beige-laces.

Another important ingredient thing is called “khar”, which is an alkaline soulition and a signature class of preparations made with a key ingredient. The traditional ingredient is made by filtering water through the ashes of a banana tree, which is then called kola khar. The replacement of khar is cooking soda.

This is such a simple dish cooked with no spices which brings out the ethnicity in the cooking. You can add fish and poultry if you want. The bamboo shoots are not completely edible so care should be taken to discard some portions that are not soft and tender. Peel the tough outer skin off and cut off the tough root end. Serve with rice.

INGREDIENTS

·       Bamboo shoots-1/2kg thinly sliced.

·       Khar 2 tablespoon or cooking soda-1/2tsp

·       Green chillies-6 slit

·       Ginger-paste of 1inch

·       Rice floor-3tbsp soaked

·       Water- keep adding if required.

PREPARATION

1. In a deep pan take water, add bamboo shoots, chicken pieces, green chilies and ginger paste and boil until cooked.

2. Now add the khar/cooking soda in a low flame and boil for another 10mins.

3. Add the rice flour paste, keep stirring. Cook at least for 10mins in a low flame and thicken the gravy to the consistency of your choice.

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