Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, is just around the corner - falling this year on October 31.
While it is predominantly a vegetarian affair in India, in Singapore where I am originally from, the Diwali (or Deepavali as we call it) involves feasting on Indian favourites with lots of spiced up meat to celebrate the festival.
If you asked me what’s my favourite Indian chicken dish, without even thinking I’d tell you it’s Chicken 65.
Well, you could twist my arm into saying tandoori chicken too, but then when compared, I think Chicken 65 is more flavourful and has more punch.
The South Indian delicacy is known for its distinctive flavour, crunch and bold spices.
But while a lot is known about tandoori chicken - named for the tandoor oven in which it’s cooked in - what do we know about Chicken 65?
Its name alone “Chicken 65” has often sparked curiosity, discussions and debate.
One popular story traces this dish back to a hotel in Chennai, India, called Buhari Hotel. Legend has it that the hotel created the dish in 1965 as a snack to cater for men from a military base stationed close by.
This is where the Chicken 65 story gets a little bit complicated.
Some say the 65 refers to the year it was created, others say it is the number of ingredients and spices that’s used to cook the dish and there are also those who believe that it is because the dish was listed as number 65 on the Buhari Hotel menu at the time.
Google the dish and you’d find people claiming the dish is named because 65-day-old chickens are used, or that it is served cut into 65 pieces or that 65 chilli peppers are used in the dish.
In India, it is common to find Chicken 65 served with bones or even as a whole chicken or chicken quarters, but here in New Zealand, you’d find them in restaurants served in boneless chicken cubes or bite-sized pieces.
What I like about Chicken 65 is that it has a good balance of heat, crispiness and tang without being overly spicy.
These chicken pieces are marinated in a yoghurt, red chilli powder, garlic, ginger and various fragrant Indian spices before being fried to crispy.
Visually it looks very appealing and is truly versatile in how it can be served.
One of my favourites is actually having it at Biryaniwala, where Chicken 65 is used as one of the options as a filling for its dosas.
If you're vegetarian and love food that is bursting with flavour, it is also not difficult to find meat-free alternatives at restaurants like Heritage Cuisine of India where paneer or mushrooms are used as a substitute for chicken.
At Paradise Indian Restaurant in Sandringham Road, you can get Chicken 65 as one of the options when you get your next takeaway.
Chicken 65 is truly a celebration of South India’s culinary brilliance, and not just another fried chicken dish.
Get out and have an Indian feast to celebrate, and order a Chicken 65 which I am sure will light up your taste buds this Diwali.
