Chicken Curry - The Bangla Style

The Bengali Culinary art has always inspired my cooking. Say it like fish, chicken or any vegetable i often like to cook it the Bong way. This time it was chicken curry that i prepared. As i mentioned earlier a bong dish often has a dash of sugar to it for carmelizing the dish. I used the same principle in this curry too. 

The output of this recipe is superb. My husband was extremely happy with texture ,taste and flavor. While i was cooking the aroma was tantalizing. I am sure the readers of this post will find it extremely helpful to prepare chicken curry the bong way. 

This recipe 

serves-4

Preparation time- 15 minutes

Cooking time- 30 to 45 minutes

Level of difficulty- Easy

Ingredients:

• Whole Chicken- 1 kg Curry cut
• Turmeric powder- 1 Tbsp
• Oil- 2Tbsp
• Sugar- 1Tsp
• Cardamom- 4
• Cinnamon stick- 1
• Bay leaves- 2
• Cloves- 4
• Onion- 4 , sliced
• Green chillies -2 (Optional)
• Ginger garlic paste- 1Tsp
• Salt as per taste
• Tomato - 1, chopped
• Coriander powder- 1Tbsp { Ingredients in green goes in spice paste.}
• Cumin powder- 1 Tsp
• Pepper powder- 1 Tsp
• Kashmiri chilli- 1 Tsp
• Red Chilli powder- 1Tsp(Optional)
• Garam masala powder- 1 Tsp
• Water- 200 ml (Final addition for making the gravy)
• Chopped Coriander for Garnishing.

Directions:

• Marinade the chicken with turmeric and 1 Tbsp of oil. Leave aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the sugar and let it dissolve. Add the mentioned whole spices(Cinnamon , cardamom, bay leaf and cloves). Wait till you can smell the aroma. Next add the onions and green chillies. Saute until onion Turns transparent in colour .
• Now add the marinated chicken . Cook at high heat since lots of water will be released. Fry until chiken is 25% cooked, i.e. the color of chicken changes to little whitish. Now add the salt and ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is over.
•  Now prepare a masala paste by adding little water to the mentioned remaining spice powders. Add this spice paste to the chicken. Also add the tomatoes. Fry until oil oozes out and the tomatoes are done. 
• Check for salt at this point of time. Adjust salt and then finally add water.
• Let this simmer in medium to high heat until you can see the gravy of desired consistency.
• Finally turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Your chicken curry is ready to be served, Serve it hot with Rice, Chapati or Nan. This is the ultimate treat and a wonderful chicken curry recipe.

Enjoy and happy cooking :-)

By- Sushmita Pandit.