Chicken Takatak (Tak-a-Tak or Taka-Tak) is a popular street food dish in Lahore, Pakistan. In this tasty dish, chicken is prepared in a thick gravy with the addition of Lahori spice mix and served with lachcha paratha, naan, tandoori roti or roomali roti. The chicken has a thick, keema-like consistency, which is achieved not by grinding the meat but by breaking it into pieces while cooking. This dish is usually cooked in roadside dhabas on large tawas. This tasty chicken dish is a delight, with lots of spices and oil. But do you know what exactly ‘taka-tak’ is in this dish? Let’s find out!
Where does ‘Taka-Tak’ come from?
The nomenclature “Takatak” comes from the style of cooking. chicken for this dish. This dish is cooked with a cooking spoon called a tabeta or ulatni, a flat metal spatula with a slight edge. This spoon is used continuously during cooking of this dish to shred the chicken. The sound when using this spoon is something like “tak tak tak taka tak”. This sound is what gives this dish its name: Takatak Chicken.
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Unlike other dishes where the chicken may taste plain inside, in this dish the chicken is completely covered in masala, thanks to the cooking technique. Cook chicken in the tawa It gives it a unique flavor where the chicken is roasted with masala all over. Do you want to learn how to prepare this fantastic dish at home? Here is the prescription.
How to make chicken takatak | Lahore Style Spicy Chicken Takatak Recipe
Start by heating oil in a kadhai. Now add chopped onion, garlic, ginger and green chili. Sauté until onion is soft and a little pink. Add all the dry spices including turmeric powder, red chilli powder, crushed coriander seeds, crushed black pepper, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Sauté and then add the chopped tomato. Once the oil separates, add the chicken cubes and mix using the sharp flat spatula to break up the chicken. Don’t forget to make the special “taka tak” sound! Add the cilantro and green chilies. Cover and cook until the chicken is ready. Garnish with mint leaves and ginger julienne. Serve with lachcha paratha or tandoori roti. Click here for a detailed recipe with all the ingredients.
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Did you find this recipe interesting? Try it at home and share your experience in the comments section.
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