Chicken Rezala: A Nawabi Treat

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Chicken rezala is a special chicken recipe that hails from the classic city of Kolkata. This delicious chicken recipe came to the city with the bawarchies of the exiled Nawab of Lucknow. This royal dish is simply magical with its delicious aroma, texture and lip-smacking taste.

Chicken rezala has an exceptional flavour. The chicken is cooked in a white cashew nut gravy with a blend of aromatic spices which lend a divine flavour to this dish. There is a delicate sweetness in the dish due to the use of sugar and also a faint tanginess of yogurt which make this chicken recipe even more delightful.

Check out the recipe for the delicious chicken rezala and enjoy a nawabi treat at your home.

Serves: 3-4

Preparation time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Chicken- 1kg (cut into medium sized pieces)
• Yogurt- ½ cup
• Poppy seeds paste- 2tsp
• Cashewnut paste- 3tbsp
• Onions- 2 (medium sized)
• Bay leaves- 2
• Kewra water- 4tsp
• White peppercorns- 10-12 (crushed)
• Dry red chillies- 3-4
• Ginger-garlic paste- 2tbsp
• Sugar- 1tsp
• Cloves- 4
• Green cardamom- 3
• Saffron strands- a few
• Fresh cream- 3tbsp
• Ghee- 2tbsp
• Salt- as per taste
• Water- 1½ cups
• Roasted almonds- for garnish

Procedure

1. Wash and clean the chicken pieces properly. Marinate the chicken pieces with yogurt, fresh cream, crushed white peppercorns and ginger-garlic paste for about an hour.
2. Peel and wash the onions. Cut into quarters and boil them in half a cup of water for about 5 minutes. Once done, grind them in a mixer into smooth paste and keep it aside.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and add the cloves, cardamoms, bay leaves, dry red chillies and fry for 2 minutes on medium flame.
4. Now add the boiled onion paste and fry for another 2 minutes. Then add sugar, salt, cashewnut paste and fry for 3-4 minutes.
5. Then add the poppy seeds paste and cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the marinated chicken pieces, saffron strands and kewra water.
7. Now add a cup of water to it, cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked.
8. Once done switch off the flame. Garnish with roasted almonds.

Serve this delicious chicken rezala with biryani or rotis.