The Classic Fried Chicken from Southern India
A dish that can make you salivate, munch on it non-stop and set your tongue on fire. It’s deep-fried, it’s crunchy, punchy and salty with a melange of regional flavours that resonate with herbs and spices. You name the taste and its there – a wonderful blend of chillies, curry leaves ginger, garlic and all the ingredients that make our tastebuds truly happy. Chicken 65 is a classic dish and a classic deserves special mention.
This is the kind of dish that’s served in post restaurants and roadside eateries. Enjoying the dish has nothing to do with the place where it’s prepared. You can enjoy it as much in a kai endhi bhavan than in an upper class restaurant.The other great thing about the Chicken 65 is that it encourages argument. That’s because people from different generations and cultures have their own recipes and techniques for preparing it. It’s hard to define the specific flavour, but once you eat it, you just know. The taste lingers in your tongue and you find yourself asking for more.
We now come to the million dollar question, “Where does the dish Chicken 65 come from?”
The 65 Theory
The most popular theory suggests that the dish was invented by a gentleman called A.M. Buhari in the year 1965. It was introduced at a restaurant in Chennai which had Chicken 78, Chicken 82 and Chicken 90 featured in its menu.
Another theory was that it was made by a chef who used 65 chillies in the marinade. It was also believed that eating a lot of chilli was a testament to how manly or tough you were. So, if anyone could eat a plate of Chicken 65 without any difficulty, it would be a reflection on true machoism.
Another bizarre theory suggests that Chicken 65 was named because it took 65 days to marinade the chicken. But that clearly defines logic as anyone who isn’t even a cook will find it to be uncanny and unbelievable.
Another funny theory that made the rounds was that a lot of army soldiers from Northern India frequented military canteens in Chennai. Since the menu was written in Tamil, they couldn’t read the script and placed the order by specifying the dish number which was 65 on the menu. Since then, the dish was popularly called “Chicken 65”.
A Timeless Treat for your Tastebuds
Even since its invention, this deep-fried dish has travelled across regions, geographies and tantalised tastebuds the world over. You too can savour the fabulous flavours of a timeless appetiser with Annapoorna’s Chicken 65 masala. Our delicious blend of whole spices and herbs have been roasted and ground to bring out the authentic taste of this classic dish. Enjoy it as a lip-smacking, crunchy starter or snack.
You can also try out our range of signature spice and masala blends that are steeped in the history and heritage of our land. Cook and share the joy of eating together!
