Murgir Jhol ~ Chicken Curry Bengali Style..

Murgir Jhol, Chicken curry or Foul Curry as our predecessors used to say is the most common chicken dish in every Bengali table. Murgi means chicken and jhol means the curry, together they can be as good as heaven on your plate. There are thousands of variation of this delectable dish; every family has their own way of preparing this. Apart from Bengali kitchen, chicken curry is pretty common throughout India. Region wise, the ingredients vary, and so the taste. I have experimented with different versions and this is one of them.

Ingredients:
1. Chicken (1 kilogram, washed and cut into pieces as preferred)
2. Potatoes (2, each cut into 4 pieces)
3. Capsicum (1, Medium sized)
4. Onion (3, Medium sized, chopped)
5. Garlic paste (1 tablespoon)
6. Ginger paste (1 tablespoon)
7. Tomato (1, Medium sized, chopped)
8. Red chili powder (1 teaspoon)
9. Cumin powder (1 teaspoon)
10. Dry red chili (2)
11. Kashmiri red chili powder (2 tablespoon)
12. Salt to taste
13. Mustard oil (6 tablespoon)
14. Garam masala powder (1 teaspoon)
15. Coriander powder (1 teaspoon)

Method:
Make a paste of capsicum, tomato and red chilies in a mixer and keep it ready.

Before we start cooking, we need to marinade the chicken. For marination add the dry spices (cumin powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder), salt and ginger-garlic paste to the chicken. To this add the capsicum paste and mix the whole thing well. Add 2 tablespoon of mustard oil and give it another good mix. We need to keep this aside for 30 minutes at least.

While the chicken is being marinated, boil the potatoes and get rid of the peel.

Heat a heavy bottom pan and, pour 4tbsp of mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced onion. Saute the onions till they become a bit brownish and then add the marinated chicken. We need to fry both sides of the chicken pieces for 3-4mints in high flame. Once the chicken starts oozing oil, add the boiled potatoes and give it a good mix.

Lower the flame; add a cup of water. Cover it with a lid and let it cook for 15 minutes. In between you need to check if the chicken has become very dry; in that case, you need to add some water and keep cooking it under cover. Depending upon the kind of chicken you are using, the cooking time may vary. I like the gravy to be a bit thick, so I add as little water as possible. Adjust water as per your preference.

Finally, in a small cup add 2 teaspoon of water; add a teaspoon of garam masala and give it a stir. Pour this mixture into the chicken and give the whole thing a mix. Your Bengali Style chicken curry is ready. Serve with hot rice, roti or luchi.

Enjoy.

Mo