Chicken Jhol: Easy Bengali Recipe

Chicken

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Thursday, November 10, 2011, 16:36

Chicken Jhol is a common (though not traditional) Bengali recipe. In Bengali, 'jhol' refers to anything that has a watery gravy and is not so spicy. Actually fish in cooked as jhol but this easy chicken curry recipe has been adapted from there on to become a delicacy on its own. Chicken jhol is something you make after coming back from a long trip of traveling and eating spicy food.

This Bengali recipe, unlike others uses minimum oil and spices. You can sat that this Indian chicken curry recipe is more in the lines of a stew because the word 'curry' throws up images of thick gravy dripping with oil. This easy chicken curry is very suitable for the modern day professionals who are both heath conscious and calories conscious. If you think that all Bengali recipes are 'elaborate' then this one will surprise you as it cooks in minutes.

Ingredients For Chicken Jhol:

1. Chicken 500 grams (medium sized pieces with bones)
2. Onions 2 (one chopped finely and one paste)
3. Garlic 5-6 cloves (paste)
4. Ginger 3 inch piece (paste)
5. Green chillies 4 (paste)
6. Tomatoes 2 (paste)
7. Red chilli powder 1 tablespoon
8. Cumin powder 1 tablespoon
9. Coriander powder 1 tablespoon
10. Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
11. Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
12. Bay leaf 1
13. Garam Masala freshly ground (contains pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and star anise)
14. Oil 1 tablespoon
15. Ghee I pinch for aroma
16. Slat as per taste

Procedure For Chicken Jhol:

• Make a paste out of one onion, tomatoes, chillies, garlic and ginger. Marinate the chicken with this paste and all the powdered spices.
• It is best if you can leave it for a couple of hours but if you are pressed for time, even half an hour will do.
• Soak all the ingredients of the garam masala in water (they are available separately) so that it softens and you can crush it later.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker (no point using a pan when you will eventually pressure cook). When it crackles add cumin seeds and bay leaf for tempering.
• Saute the chopped onions in the oil for about 3 minutes on low flame so that they turn golden brown.
• After this, pour the marinated chicken (with the marinade) into the cooker and keep stirring for a few minutes.
• Add salt and mix it well. Let is cook on its own for about 6-7 minutes as you stir occasionally. Cooking will release oils from the chicken and when that shows up over the gravy pour 2 cups of water and close the lid.
• Cook for the duration of 2, maximum 3 whistles and remove from flame. Now crush the garam masala manually with a health of a heavy object (rolling pin or balan)

Add the crushed garam masala and ghee before serving with steamed rice.