Murgir Jhol (Chicken Curry in Bengali style) – Cooking Delight –

“Murgir Jhol” is quite a common dish in Bengali households that features often in Sunday lunch menu. This preparation contains light runny gravy or ‘jhol’ in which chicken and potatoes are immersed. Using big pieces of potatoes in meat curries is a signature for Bengalis which is not seen elsewhere. While going through the posts in my blog, I suddenly discover that till date even if I shared various recipes of chicken, missed this simplest one. Since my childhood, I saw my mother to prepare this curry which I follow blindly. So here comes the recipe of Bengali “Murgir Jhol” taken from my mother’s cook book. Enjoy 🙂

Ingredients to serve 2-3 :

1. Chicken with bone (cut into medium size pieces) – 500 gm.
2. Potato (cut into halves) – 4 (medium)
3. Onion (thinly sliced) – 3 (medium)
4. Tomato (chopped) – 1 (medium)
5. Green chilli – 2
6. Ginger (grated) – 1″ piece (or, 1 tbspoon ginger paste)
7. Garlic (crushed) – 3 large (or, 6 small) cloves
8. Whole garam masala (Cinnamon – 1″ stick, Clove – 3, Green cardamom – 3)
9. Bay leaf – 2
10. Dry red chilli – 2
11. Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
12. Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
13. Garam masala powder – ½  teaspoon
14. Salt to taste
15. Cooking oil (preferably mustard oil) – 6 tbspoon

Procedure :

Clean the chicken pieces and then marinate with ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, chopped tomato (crush with fingers), salt and 2 tbspoon of oil for minimum 2 hours (preferably overnight).

Smear the potatoes with salt and turmeric powder.

Heat remaining 4 tbspoon of oil in a large frying pan or kadai over medium flame. Fry the potatoes into it till golden brown. Remove them from oil and keep aside.

Now add whole garam masala, bay leaf and dry red chillies into the remaining oil, saute for a while.

Then add crushed garlic, fry till garlic turns light brown.

Then add sliced onion and fry till it turns golden brown. Sprinkle little amount of salt while frying the onion.

Now add marinated chicken and mix it well with the spices. Add green chillies, cover the kadai and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.

After that, as chicken changes its colour uncover the kadai, raise the flame and cook further for 2-3 minutes more.

As oil starts separating from the mixture add 2+1/2 cup of warm water.

Then add fried potato into the boiling water. Check for salt and add if it is needed.

Then cover the pan with a lid and let it cook over low – medium flame for 10 minutes.

Put the gas off as the chicken becomes tender and gravy thickens as per your desire. I like this gravy to be little watery, that’s why it is called “Jhol”.

Now give it a standing time of 2-3 minutes and then serve with steamed rice.

“Murgir Jhol” is also enjoyable with roti/ paratha/ puri.

Tags:

• Bengali cuisineChickenCurry dishesNon veg