Doesn’t chicken become boring after a while? Or even after years of consumption, when most of us wonder how to make innovative dishes with it? For me, it surely becomes stifling to cook and eat chicken in the form of curries, stew and roast/kebabs for weeks on stretch. If you are a student or on a budget, buy half kilo chicken mince (keema) and make three interesting recipes for lunch, snack and dinner for two people.

How to prep the keema: 

Heat oil in a wok. I use mustard oil at almost all times and it tastes fine. Add a pinch of cumin seeds and garam masala powder to the oil. Add finely chopped onions and keep frying. Add 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and mix well. Throw in the keema and keep stirring until the extra water dries off. Now add the powdered spices – 1 tsp each of turmeric/red chillies/cumin/coriander/garam masala and 1 tbsp salt. Mix well, cover and let cook. Make sure the mix is cooked and there’s no extra water. Add boiled and mashed potatoes (2 large) to the keema and mix. Garnish with a little garam masala powder and let cool.

Once this mix is ready, you can try three different recipes with it, one each for lunch, snack and dinner.

Chicken Meatballs Curry

A light flavoured curry perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, whichever you fancy. If you have the keema mix ready as above, this won’t take much time.

How to : 

Make little roundels of the cooled keema mix and roll lightly in flour. Fry in batches and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, fry a little chopped onions and sliced potatoes. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and 1 small chopped tomato. Keep frying till a homogeneous mix and add 1 tsp each of turmeric/red chilli/cumin powder and salt. Mix well, add a little warm water and cook till a thick gravy forms. Add the fried meatballs and garnish with a pinch of garam masala and chopped coriander. Serve with rice or roti.

Chicken Chop 

This is my absolute favourite Bengali snack and I used to wait for occasions when my father would make these at home. Not too heavy on the stomach if you eat in moderate numbers, of course! Serve hot and preferably with kashundi, so that it tastes its best.

How to : 

Shape the cooled keema mix into cylinders (medium sized), dust in flour, roll in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and deep fry till golden. Serve with ketchup/kashundi and salad.

Chicken Parota

This recipe is courtesy M as it was his innovation during college years. A handful of keema can go a long way and make at least four parotas for two people.

How to :

Knead dough mixing two kinds of flours – Aata and Maida, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt. Roll them flat like a luchi/poori, spoon in the filling and close from all round. Make a ball and roll it again carefully. Heat a fry pan and roast the parotas on both sides, adding 1 tsp oil at the end. Serve with a simple Aloo Dum or even plain with ketchup.

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