In every Bengali household, Sunday lunch is incomplete without a special Murgir Jhol (chicken curry). Normally, what we prepare is chicken with potato cooked in a spicy stew. But, this Sunday I thought of making something different. Being in Southern part of India, it’s great to have it’s own variety of cuisines – and an opportunity for me to combine my traditional Bengali flavours along with South Indian flavour and make something completely new. Today’s recipe is nothing but a combination of these two.
I am a big fan of Kerala cuisine. The spicy and tangy preparations of fish, chicken and mutton never fails to satisfy me. Typically, Kerala Chicken is cooked in coconut milk – but I have used grated coconut instead of that. Also, it is cooked in coconut oil – but, I have used the my very own Shorsher Tel (mustard oil). This fusion turned out to be a super hit. Believe me, the flavour, texture and taste, everything is so perfect and precise. I have used six pieces of drumsticks and focused highly on the marination part – the longer it is, the tastier it is. I am just loving it. Here’s the step-by-step recipe for you all.
Ingredients:
- 600 gms chicken (curry cut or drumsticks)
- 2 table-spoon yogurt
- 1 cup (approx 200 gms) grated coconut
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 5 green chillies, roughly chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1.5 table-spoon ginger-garlic paste
- 15 curry leaves
- 3 dried red chillies
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tea-spoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 tea-spoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 tea-spoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 tea-spoon turmeric powder
- 1 tea-spoon cumin powder
- 1/2 tea-spoon black pepper powder
- 1/2 tea-spoon garam masala powder
- 3 table-spoon mustard oil (1+2)
- 2 cup warm water
- salt (according to taste)
Method:
- Marinate the chicken pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, salt and 1 table-spoon mustard oil for 3-4 hours.
- Meanwhile, mix onion and green chillies together and make a fine paste of them.
- Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, cinnamon and curry leaves. Allow the spices to splutter.
- Add onion-chilli paste and sautè until the mixture changes colour and gets thicken.
- Now, add the grated coconut and tomato. Stir till the water leaves coconut and the tomato gets blended.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Add the warm water.
- Check for salt. If required, add according to your taste.
- Cover the lid and cook on low to medium flame for 20 minutes or until the chicken is well cooked. Gravy should be thick, so don’t add any more water.
- Once the chicken is well cooked, sprinkle the garam masala powder and give a quick mix.
- Cover the lid, turn off the flame and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Your hot, spicy and tangy Coconut Chicken Curry is ready to be served now.
Serve it with hot steamed rice or roti/chapatti or Kerala Paratha – it will taste delicious. Do try this and let me know how you like it in comment section. Happy eating!