Murgi-r jhol

Enrich your culinary experience through this traditional Bengali chicken. While it is good, it is unique too. What’s unique is, the meat is cooked in mustard oil and flavored by incorporating potatoes and sugar apart from other masalas. Simple, flavorful and delicious is what this chicken is about! Go, try it!

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken (Murgi) – 1 pound
Onion – 1½ cups, chopped
Tomatoes – 2 medium, cut into small pieces or 1 cup
Oil (preferably mustard oil) – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Potato – 2 medium (skin removed and cubed into 4 parts)
Whole garam masala – 1 cinnamon, 2 cloves, 4 black pepper, 2 cardamom, 1 bay leaf
Ground garam masala – 1 inch cinnamon and 2 cardamom (make a fine paste)
Coriander leaves – to garnish
Water (warm) – 1/2 cup
Ghee/Clarified butter – 1/2 -1 tsp

For marinade –

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 tsp (preferably mustard oil)

METHOD:

Marinade chicken with ingredients mentioned under “for marinade.” Keep at room temperature for at least 1-2 hours.
Heat oil in a kadai. When it’s hot and smoking, take the kadai off the flame and add sugar (this will not sweeten the meat, will just give it a nice, reddish-brown color). Add potatoes, increase the heat and saute till it turns brown. Remove and keep aside.
In the same oil, put whole garam masala and saute. Add onions and stir till it turns brown. Put tomatoes, salt, and cook for a minute.
In medium high heat, put chicken and stir fry till it acquires a brownish color, for 3-4 minutes.
Add potatoes and mix them with chicken.
Pour warm water, and cover and cook in low heat for 20 minutes or till your chicken is cooked. Your final consistency should be neither watery nor dry, and should have enough jhol (curry/gravy).
In the last 2 minutes, add the ground garam masala and ghee and before your turn off, give one big stir. Garnish with coriander leaves before eating.