Chicken Datshi
Chicken Datshi is a beautiful example of how little you actually need to make something deeply satisfying. Chicken, a mountain of chillies and soft, tangy churpi come together in a light broth that slowly turns creamy as the cheese melts into it. Traditionally the datshi is made from yak milk. I'm using cow's milk here, but the principle remains the same: heat, acidity and a little patience doing most of the work. It's simple food, but the combination of heat, funk and richness is anything but simple.
Lahori Murg Chanay
This is one of those dishes that makes perfect sense once you think about it. Chickpeas are cooked slowly in chicken stock until they become rich and savoury, then the shredded chicken goes back in at the end. Nothing complicated, just a very efficient exchange of flavours. The chickpeas get the chicken, the chicken gets the chickpeas, and everyone wins. Chemistry, but delicious.