Undeniable Chicks

One of Grandma Lyalya's signature dishes was fried portioned chicks. Everyone who has tried them at least once remembered it for the rest of their lives. She often fried those chicks, but for some reason, I remember one day in August most of all.

I was about thirteen years old. Summer was ending, which meant it was time for me to go home and prepare for the school year. On the day of my departure, Grandma went somewhere early in the morning and returned with small plucked birds, hardly bulkier than a quail.

"Look how beautiful they are!" she boasted and disappeared into the kitchen.

While I was packing, she was busy with the chicks. My parents were just about to pick me up. And, of course, Grandma didn't let anyone go anywhere without a snack. In her view, a snack could very well be a portioned chick.

I remember very well how, when my parents arrived, my dad tried to refuse an early hearty lunch, but such things didn't work with my grandma. She immediately told my dad that he needed strength because he was driving and summarised, "You should eat before a long journey!"

"Oh, mother, it's useless to argue with you!" my mom said and laughed.

"You don't need to argue with me," Grandma retorted, "because I'm telling the truth."

Dad just shook his head and gave up with a wave of his hand. And then we sat at Grandma's large table in the sun-filled kitchen, and each of us happily ate chick.

"Is it tasty?" Grandma asked, and when everyone nodded, she added, turning to my dad. "You see! You wanted to refuse!"

Thirty years have passed, and now I cook chicks like those for my husband. And he doesn't have a chance to refuse his portion because it's useless to argue with me about chicks. But to be honest, he never tried to discuss it.

Ingredients

portioned chicks (according to the number of guests)

vegetable oil

salt to taste

Method

STEP 1

Dry each chick thoroughly with a paper towel.

STEP 2

Rub each chick well with salt, inside and out, and then brush or drizzle with vegetable oil.

STEP 3

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place the birds on baking paper. Cook the chicks for 1 hour. Bast them every 15 minutes with juice, which they give off.

Tip: five minutes before cooking, move the baking sheet to a higher shelf to get a fried crust.

STEP 4

Serve. If anyone questions the wisdom of eating chicks as a snack, let them know there is no point in arguing.