Food, the element that keeps us alive. The factor that is essential for us to survive and sustain. The substance that is necessary for the flow of oxygen in the body. Some say, ‘We eat to live’ and some say ‘We live to eat’. Whatever it is, but no creature in this world can separate food from life.
Food determines us. It gives us identity. It provides belongingness. It decides our strata in the society. Probably this is why, along with other aspects, a lion is the king of the jungle also because of its food, and a deer is a deer also because of its food. A significant component of one’s culture, sometimes our race, our ethnicity is also ascertained by what we eat. Thus, food is way beyond something that is served on a plate to satisfy our hunger.
And coming to something relevant to everyday life, food even reflects our mood. It mirrors our feeling for that moment. A day when we want our life free from all complications, we cut down all the fuss with a simple dish of Dal Chawal. A Biryani serves the urge of the royal side of us and a nice creamy bowl of pasta is used to address our globe-trotting mind.
And that day when my mind was craving for history, nobility and simplicity at the same time, I found my answer in none other than the ‘Chicken Rezala’ dish. The dish which is believed to be brought by the cooks of the last Nawab of Lucknow, Wajid Ali Shah, during his exile to Calcutta, and the dish that was so much embraced by the people of Bengal, that it still remains in the guarded territory of Bengal.
Rich in aroma with the help of spices and Kewra Water, this white creamy dish ‘Chicken Rezala’ is a treat for your taste buds. A perfect companion for roti, rice or even biryani, this Chicken Rezala dish will never let you down with its richness and soul satisfying taste.
Here is the step-by-step recipe for Chicken Rezala.
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Recipe: Chicken Rezala
Preparation Time: Around 35 minutes Cooking & Frying Time: Around 50 minutes (Includes heating pan, heating oil) Equipment Used: Bowls, Grinding Stone, Chopping Board, Knife, Electronic grinder, Wok, Spatula, Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups Yield: 6-7 bowls or katoris
Ingredients:
- 1 garlic
- 1.5 inch X 0.75 inch ginger (peeled)
- 1 kg chicken
- 4 tablespoon curd
- 1 and ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ½ tablespoon cashew nuts
- Water for grinding
- 1 green chilli
- 3 big onions
- 9-10 Cinnamon pieces (0.5cm each)
- 6 green cardamoms
- 6 cloves
- ½ teaspoon peppercorn
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 red chilli
- 3 tablespoon refined oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ cup Kewra Water
Method:
- Thaw the chicken in advance if they are frozen
- Take out the cloves from garlic bulb. Peel the cloves and crush them with a grinding stone along with the peeled ginger piece
- Clean the chicken pieces. Add curd, half of crushed garlic ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon pepper on the chicken. Rub the ingredients properly on the chicken pieces. Keep the chicken pieces covered in a bowl for marination
- Now grind poppy seeds along with cashew nuts and green chilli to a smooth paste
- Cut the onions to 4-6 pieces each
- Keep the spices ready for tempering
- Heat a wok or a pan
- Add refined oil in the wok followed by ghee, once the wok is hot and heat the oil and ghee in the wok
- Break the red chill in the oil and temper the oil with other spices, when the oil starts emitting light smoke
- Add the remaining half of the crushed garlic ginger
- Add the onions and fry them till they are translucent
- Add the marinated chicken, followed by ground poppy seed & cashew paste. Stir and mix the ingredients. Cover the wok and let the chicken cook on low flame
- Uncover the pan after 7-10 minutes. Increase the flame if the chicken is almost cooked
- Adjust salt and sugar. I have added another 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon sugar
- Add ½ teaspoon pepper on chicken, when you acquire the desired consistency
- Switch off the flame and pour kewra water on chicken
Crush ginger garlic.
Leave the chicken for marination after adding curd, half of crushed garlic ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Ground poppy seed and cashew nut paste.
Cut the onions to 4-6 pieces each.
Keep the spices ready for tempering.
Heat oil and ghee in a wok.
Break the red chill in the oil and temper the oil with other spices.
Add the remaining half of the crushed garlic ginger.
Fry the onions.
Add the marinated chicken, followed by ground poppy seed & cashew paste.
Cover the wok after stirring and let the chicken cook on low flame.
Uncover the pan after 7-10 minutes and increase the flame if the chicken is almost cooked.
Adjust salt and sugar.
Add pepper when you acquire the desired consistency.
Switch off the flame and pour kewra water on chicken.
Tips:
- If you want the dish to be fiery, you can add more green chillies while grinding poppy seeds and cashew nuts
- So that the seeds leave more aroma, take out the shell of green cardamoms while dropping them in oil
- Don’t add extra water while cooking the dish. The liquid from marinated chicken and poppy seeds paste will be enough
