Chef Abi Sharma · Café Kathmandu
CAFÉ KATHMANDU is the first restaurant in Vancouver to serve authentic Nepalese dishes, such as this light and refreshing warm salad-style appetizer that is easy to make and shows just how simple Nepalese cooking can be.
Typical meals include rice, lentils and curries made with goat, pork, chicken and yak. Pickles and chutneys are popular accompaniments. If you can’t find timur, a Himalayan peppercorn belonging to the Szechuan pepper family, use Szechuan peppercorns instead.
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped carrots
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp canola oil
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ Tbsp turmeric
½ Tbsp ground timur (or ground Szechuan peppercorns)
½ Tbsp ground cumin
½ Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
IN A SMALL POT, bring 2 cups water to a boil on high heat. Add chicken, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, then drain and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Using a knife, slice or shred the meat and place it in a large bowl. Season with salt, then add onions, green and red bell peppers, carrots, garlic and ginger. Mix well and set aside.
In a small frying pan, heat canola oil on medium-high and add fenugreek. Cook for 45 seconds, or until seeds become dark brown. Turn off the heat and stir in turmeric, mixing well. Pour the cooked spices over the chicken mixture, then stir in ground timur (or ground Szechuan peppercorns), cumin and coriander. Drizzle with lemon juice and garnish with cilantro. Serve on a large serving platter at room temperature.