New York Times (1/12/97)

Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients

13-to-3 1/2-pound chicken, quartered with the skin left on

Juice of 1 1/2 limes

Coarse salt to taste

6 green chilies, seeded and chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon cardamom seeds

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

2 potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick

Coriander leaves to garnish.

Preparation

1. Pierce the chicken pieces all over with a fork. Put them in a dish and squeeze a lime over them and season them with salt. Set aside. Put all the ingredients except the potatoes and the coriander leaves for the marsala in a blender or food processor and process until a fine paste forms. Spread this marsala all over the chicken pieces and set aside to marinate for at least two hours at room temperature.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces and fry them for 10 to 12 minutes, turning until the skin is dark brown and crispy and the juices run clear when each piece is pricked with the tip of a knife. Turn over the pieces several times while they are frying.

3. Halfway through the cooking process, arrange the potatoes in a ring around the chicken so they fry with the chicken. If there is not enough room, they can be fried in the fat remaining in the pan after the chicken is removed and kept warm. Serve with the potatoes arranged around the chicken and garnish with coriander leaves.

Yield: 4 servings.