AI-generated image
Wachipa
Chicken and toasted rice
वाचिप्पा (wachipa): Rai rice cooked with minced chicken and smoky toasted rice, a home version without feather ash
Among the Rai people of Khotang, Bhojpur and the eastern hills, wachipa is a dish of honour, cooked at Sakela and other festivals and for a returning family member: rice cooked together with finely chopped chicken, bones and all, and darkened with the ash of the bird's own feathers, which have been singed and ground. The ash gives a grey-black colour and a smoky, bitter edge that Rai elders say is the soul of the dish. Feather ash is not something we can recommend at home: shop-bought birds come without feathers, and burnt feathers are hard to make clean, gritty and not food-safe. This version gets a close smoky, toasty bitterness from rice that is dry-roasted until dark brown and ground, plus charred chicken skin. A common mistake is making it too wet; wachipa should be a sticky, moist rice, not a porridge. Chef's tip: chop the chicken by hand rather than buying mince, for the authentic coarse, chewy texture.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅛ lb boneless chicken thighs with skinskin removed and kept, meat finely chopped by hand
- 4 cm piece fresh gingerfinely grated
- 5 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 /2 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the rice
- 10 ½ oz long-grain or local hill ricewashed
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 green chillieschopped
- 2 ¾ cups hot water
- 3 spring onions (optional)sliced
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 2 tbsp uncooked rice, for the smoky powder in a small heavy pan over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes, shaking, until dark brown and smoky (not black), then grind to a fine powder.
6 minStep 2: Lay the chicken skin in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook for 5–6 minutes, pressing, until it is crisp and well charred at the edges. Chop it finely.
6 minStep 3: Mix the chopped 1 ⅛ lb boneless chicken thighs with skin with 4 cm piece fresh ginger, 5 cloves garlic, 1 /2 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric and 1 ½ tsp salt.
Step 4: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy pot over a high heat until it smokes, lower the heat and fry 1 onion for 4–5 minutes until soft and golden.
5 minStep 5: Add the chicken and fry over a medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes, breaking it up, until it is no longer pink.
6 minStep 6: Add 10 ½ oz long-grain or local hill rice, 3 green chillies, the chopped skin and the toasted rice powder and stir for 2 minutes.
2 minStep 7: Pour in 2 ¾ cups hot water, bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for 18–20 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the rice is soft and sticky and the chicken reaches 165°F.
20 minStep 8: Rest covered for 5 minutes, then stir, scatter with 3 spring onions and serve hot with a tomato achar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does wachipa take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Arroz con pitu de caleyaSoupy rice with chicken
A pitu de caleya is a cockerel raised free in the lanes, or caleyas, of rural Asturias; its firm, flavourful meat needs long stewing, and families around Villaviciosa and Grado still cook it for feast days. The stew is often finished as a soupy rice, so the deep chicken juices go into every grain. Use the best free-range chicken you can find. The braise includes dry white wine; replace it with extra stock and a squeeze of lemon if you want it alcohol-free. Chef's tip: brown the chicken slowly and deeply; that colour is where the flavour of the whole pot comes from.
Spanish
Chicken kdra with almonds
Kdra takes its name from the tall copper pot it was cooked in, and in Fez it is a festive dish for weddings and family gatherings rather than an everyday tagine. The sauce is the point: kilos of onion melted down with smen, saffron, white pepper and cinnamon until it turns pale gold and creamy, with no tomato or paprika at all. Soft chickpeas and almonds simmered until tender go into it, and the whole thing is scooped up with bread. Expect a mellow, perfumed, buttery richness rather than heat. Chef's tip: soak and simmer the blanched almonds with the chicken; they lose their crunch and become creamy like the chickpeas, which is how Fassi cooks like them.
Moroccan
Chicken tikka masala
Marinating the chicken in spiced yoghurt keeps it tender, and a few minutes under a hot grill gives it the smoky char of a tandoor. The sauce is rich but not heavy, finished with a little cream and dried fenugreek leaves.
Indian