Ingredients

• (serves 2–3)
• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large cubes
• 2 tbsp LXV Khmeli Suneli spice blend
• ½ cup thick Greek yogurt (hung curd works beautifully too)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, Khmeli Suneli spice blend, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and salt. Mix until smooth.
2. Add chicken and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
3. For the saffron-yogurt sauce, mix saffron infusion with yogurt, salt, and a tiny bit of honey or vanilla sugar if desired. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Preheat your grill (grill pan, outdoor grill, or broiler). Thread chicken onto skewers, then grill over high heat for 12–15 minutes, turning occasionally until charred and cooked through. Optional: Brush lightly with ghee for a glossy finish. Plate the kebabs hot off the grill. Drizzle with the saffron-yogurt and garnish with mint or dill for an elegant appetizer. Or pair it with a side of saffron-infused basmati rice, Malabar paratha as part of a main course.
5. In the quiet village of
6. Perumkulam
7. , tucked between swaying coconut palms and the slow rhythm of temple bells, my grandmother—
8. Ammichi
9. —would stand barefoot in her red-tiled kitchen, stirring a pot of something that always smelled like the monsoon and memory.
10. She would make this stew—delicate, coconut-rich, yet edged with spice—when someone had returned home, or was about to leave, or just needed comfort. The prawns were fresh from the backwaters, the lentils soft, the squash yielding.
11. Years later, I reach for those same flavors—this time wrapped in chai spice, a nod to my own wandering—but the soul of the dish remains hers. The warmth, the hush, the quiet power of a stew that says, you are safe, you are known, you are loved.
12. —Neeta
13. Marinated & Grilled Chicken with Saffron-Yogurt Drizzle Paired with LXV Sauvignon Blanc
14. This grilled chicken with a saffron-yogurt drizzle offers bold Indian spices with a twist, making it a perfect match for LXV's aromatic Sauvignon Blanc.

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