Crepe with chicken filling

About the food:

I got this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's ' The ultimate curry bible'. As I read, I was immediately drawn to it, as I saw it as a fusion between the French crepes and the Indian curry style filling. In India, we do have a similar version of the food: the mughlai paratha, which is the street corner best seller; but here in this food, its character is so very different and unique. The mughlai parathas are very crisp, but the crepes are succulently soft and melts in the mouth. This gives the dish an delicious uniqueness.

Preparing the dish is fairly easy, the only tricky part is in folding them. But with patience and a little practise, this could be overcomed.This could be served as an excellent snack or as a light meal.

Preparation time: 30mins
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hrs.

Ingredients: (makes 6-8)

The filling:
450 gms chicken, boneless and minced
3 cardamom
3 cloves
1/2 inches cinnamom stick
2 bayleaves
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
2-3 green chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 big onion
2 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
salt to taste
1 pinch turmeric powder
1 bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
vegetable oil

The crepes:
250 ml milk
190 gm white flour
salt to taste
2 eggs
butter

The batter:
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs

The sauce:
3 big tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 inches ginger, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper

Method:

1. The filling:
Heat oil in a pan. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bayleaves and let them crackle. Add the onions and fry a little. Add the tomatoes and mix well. After 2 mins, add the chicken and mix it well. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric powder,cumin powder, coriander powder and the chillies. Carry on cooking over a medium flame, stirring and taking care the food does not stick to the pan base, covering intermittently. Sprinkle some water, if the food becomes very dry. Continue to cook for about 30 mins, or until the oil separates out. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves. Reserve and let it cool.

2. The crepes:
Mix the flour, eggs, milk and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk with a hand blender until it is soft and fluffy.

Heat 1/2 tbsp butter a flat non-stick pan. With a deep spoon, pour 1-2 spoonful of the batter at the centre of the pan. Quickly, tilt the pan to spread the batter to form a circle. Fry for 1 mins. Flip the crepe and fry for another minute. Take it out in a plate and cover. Make all the crepes in the same manner. Put a greased paper in between the crepes, otherwise they might stick together.

3.The sauce:
Heat oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry a little. Add the garlic and the ginger. Fry for 2 mins. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 20 mins over a low flame or until the tomatoes has melted and has formed a thick sauce.

4.The final stage: Shallow frying
Take one crepe and put 2 tbsp of the filling at the centre of it. Break 2 eggs in a big bowl and whisk them. With a brush, grease the sides of the crepe with the eggs and fold them over the filling, pressing gently, and make a square shape.

Put the breadcrumbs in a plate, to form a layer. Carefully dip the above crepe in the egg, and then place it in a plate of breadcrumbs, carefully coating it. Flip it to cover all the sides.

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a flat pan. Carefully fry the crepe, one side at a time; flip over and fry the other side.

5. Take the crepes out in kitchen tissue to wipe excess oil. Serve hot with the tomato sauce.