Bengali Chicken Rezala Recipe
When I came across this Bengali Chicken Rezala Recipe, it reminded me very much of Mughlai cuisine. Later I learnt that it is indeed the Nawabi inspiration in Bengali cuisine. It is usually cooked on special occasions as it is a “Rich” dish. But it can be cooked for dinner any day. I don’t eat chicken but believe me for saying so myself, the aroma is tantalizing!
Succulent pieces of Chicken on bone drowned an aromatic gravy with different ingredients. As is known Mughlai cuisine is a rich cuisine patronised by the nawabs. It is best cooked on a slow charcoal fire but that isn’t possible these days. The next best alternative is the slow cooker and the Dhungar method of smoking.
What is Bengali Chicken Rezala Recipe?
Chicken Rezala has an impeccable balance of spices and flavours. The creamy gravy goes well with steamed rice or roti. The bowl was polished off and there were demands of once more! As usual, I have tweaked the recipe according to my cooking. The dry red chillies and pepper are enough to spice actually but I added chilli powder for that spicy punch.
The name itself sounds royal, doesn’t it? The whole spices, saffron, cashew and poppy seeds, onion paste, ginger and garlic give it the “rich” tag.
You may like similar white gravy recipes like my favourite Chicken Stew Chicken a la King Easy Creamy Chicken or the fiery Chettinad Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1 kg of chicken with bone
10 Cashew nuts
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
2 tbsp Oil
1 cup Yogurt
3 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp Ginger& Garlic paste
4 Clove
2 Green cardamom
8 Black pepper corns
2 inch Cinnamon
3 Black cardamom
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 cup Onion paste
1 tsp Red chilli powder
4 Dry red chilies
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Ghee
Few chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 pinch Saffron Soaked in 1 tbsp milk
METHOD
Firstly, soak the cashew nuts and poppy seeds in warm water for 10 minutes. Then make a smooth paste in a blender.
Next, marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste and yogurt in a bowl. Keep aside for an hour.
In a wok, heat ghee and oil. Once it is hot, add cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom and dry red chilies.
Sauté till the aroma floats in the air.
Now add the chicken pieces from the marinade and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
Subsequently, add the remaining marinade, cashew nut and poppy seeds paste, white pepper powder, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.
Then, add the onion paste and 1 cup water.
Cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes.
Pour the ghee and mix well.
Finally, drizzle the soaked saffron milk and fresh coriander leaves
Serve Bengali Chicken Rezala Recipe, hot with steamed rice or soak up the rich gravy with any roti or bread.
Notes
Red Chilli powder is optional
You can add Kewra Essence
You can garnish with fried onion rings.
- 1 kg of chicken with bone
- 2 tbsp Poppy seeds
- 10 pieces cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 cup Yogurt
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
- 4 pieces Clove
- 8 pieces Black peppercorns
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 2 pieces green cardamom
- 2 pieces Black cardamom
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1/2 cup Onion paste
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 4 pieces Dry Red Chillies
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp pinch Saffron Soaked in 1milk
- Firstly, soak the cashew nuts and poppy seeds in warm water for 10 minutes. Then make a smooth paste in a blender.
- Next, marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste and yoghurt in a bowl. Keep aside for an hour.
- In a wok, heat ghee and oil. Once it is hot, add cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom and dry red chillies.
- Sauté till the aroma floats in the air.
- Now add the chicken pieces from the marinade and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Subsequently, add the remaining marinade, cashew nut and poppy seeds paste, white pepper powder, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.
- Then, add the onion paste and 1 cup water.
- Cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes.
- Pour the ghee and mix well.
- Finally, drizzle the soaked saffron milk and fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve Bengali Chicken Rezala Recipe, hot with steamed rice or soak up the rich gravy with any roti or bread.
Red Chilli powder is optional
You can add Kewra Essence
You can garnish with fried onion rings.
