A Homely Recipe for Chicken Rezala

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Chicken Rezala is a light, flavourful gravy dish - inspired by Mughlai cuisine, that originated in Kolkata. 

Legend goes that when the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Calcutta, it officially heralded the confluence of the rich Mughlai cuisine and the local Bengali cuisine.(https://www.swadesi.com/news/) 

Chicken Rezala is a product of that happy synthesis of Bengali cooking and Mughlai culinary influences.



Here is my version, inspired by Get Curried Chef Smita Deo's  recipe, toned down suitably for milder stomachs. 😛

Chicken - 600 gms.

Onion - 2-3 made into paste

Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tablespoons

Curd - 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp.

Chhoti Elaichi/Cardamom - 3, Cinnamon -1 inch, Cloves -4-5

Black pepper corns - 7-8

Poppy seed and Cashew nut paste - 2 tablespoons

Whole red chilli -1

Green chilli paste -1/2 tsp.

Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Oil- 2 tablespoons

Sugar - 1 tsp.

Salt - to taste

Method

  • Marinate the chicken with curd, salt, a pinch of pepper powder, half of the onion paste, half of the ginger garlic paste, and green chilli paste. Set aside for 2 hours at least.
  • Heat oil and ghee in a wok/kadhai, and add whole cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper corns, and whole red chilli.
  • Add the remaining onion paste, and saute till it browns slightly. Add the remaining ginger garlic paste to the mix, and saute for five minutes. (You can add 2-3 slit green chillis if you like it spicy).
  • Give the poppy seed-cashew paste into the kadhai, and saute for five minutes. Mix in the garam masala powder. Add sugar and salt to taste.
  • Now add the marinated chicken slowly, along with the marinade, and fry for ten minutes on medium flame. Once the oil separates, add 2 cups water, and cover with a lid. 
  • Let it simmer on low flame for fifteen minutes, then remove from fire. Garnish with coriander leaves. 


Note- In the traditional recipe, 2-3 saffron strands and 1/2 tsp. kewra water are added in the end. I have skipped these deliberately, as I have tried to make do with ingredients, easily available in the kitchen.


So, make this delicious recipe and surprise your family members! It can be served with rice, rotis or parathas.


#chickenrecipes #chickengravydishes #mughlaicuisine #bengalimughlaicuisine


 






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