Mama's Daighi Charga

This is one of my mom's own recipes, and because it's steamed chicken it's a lot healthier than Lahori Charga which is fried.  Most of the time healthy equates to nasty in taste for me, but this chicken falls off the bone and is just delicious.  You'll get the super fatty version of Lahori Charga in a later post because we do not shy away from rich foods here.  I made this for the first time after Amanda and Dave got engaged.  It's tradition  to host a newly wed couple in your home for dinner to celebrate them.  Usually we reserve this for after their wedding, but I did it after they got engaged and would love to do it again now that they are officially married (as of 10.1.11).  The photo on the right is of mama and I celebrating my 3rd birthday I believe.  Mama still has this sari, and one day I'll wear it.


Ingredients
1 whole chicken skinless
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp crushed cumin seeds

1 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tbsp chaat masala (this is a prepackaged spice)

2 lemons (or lime)

Directions

1. Combine all the spices in a bowl (minus .5 a tbsp of chaat masala for use later).
2. Make deep cuts over the chicken breast and legs.
3. Sprinkle combined spices over the chicken and inside the chicken, rub the spices on with your hands and cover whatever areas you see.  
4. Rub one lemon's juice on the chicken (both inside and out).  
5. Let marinade minimum three hours.  
6. Fill pot half way with water, put steamer on top and turn stove onto medium heat.
7. Once water is boiling, place chicken in steamer, cover with lid, and turn heat to medium low (water should be steaming with a light boil).
8. Let cook for one hour with breast side up, then turn chicken on other side.
9. Let cook for another 20-30 minutes.
10. Remove chicken from steamer, and sprinkle on juice of remaining lemon and  chaat masala.  Serve immediately.