Kolkata Style CHICKEN REZALA

CHICKEN REZALA

Chicken Rezala is a very popular and beloved dish in Bengal.
This dish is only available in Bengal and brought to Bengali  food culture by the Nawabs 
                                    (mughal ruler )of mughal Empire .
Rezala has very unique flavor for which it is so distinctive from other mughal dishes .
The chicken is slow cooked in a white nut gravy with a blend of aromatic spices.
It has a perfect blend of sweetness and sourness which makes the royal dish with its delicious aroma texture and lip-smacking taste.



INGREDIENTS

Chicken -500 gms (Big Pieces)
Poppy seed paste -2tbsp
Ginger paste -1/2tbsp
Cashew nuts -2tbsp
Garlic paste-1tbsp
Char Magaz paste -2tsp

White pepper power -3tbsp
Black pepper power-3tbsp
Yogurt -1/2 cup
Salt -as per taste
Sugar -as per taste
Green chili paste -3tbsp
Whole garam masala
Oil-1cup
Ghee-3tbsp
Dry  red chili -3-4 pcs
Kewra water -1tsp
Rose water -1tsp
Nutmeg powder-1tsp
Garam masala powder-1tbsp

METHOD

1. Soak the poppy seeds, cashew and char magaz seed in half cup of water for 20 minutes and make fine paste.

2.Take the chicken pieces , wash and pat dry with kitchen towel .

Take a big bowl add the chicken to it then add curd ,ginger,garlic ,poppy ,charmagaz,cashew paste,salt,sugar,nutmeg powerder, green chili paste black pepper , garam masala powder and mix them well.

I wrap it with a cling film and refrigerate overnight.




3.Mandatory to take a flat pan add ghee ,oil and heat it .
Then add whole garam masala after few second add only the chicken pieces from the marinade .
Saute the chicken for few minutes on high flame then add marinade also.



Stir it occasionally and let it cook over low to medium flame and cover it with a lid .
Check it in few minutes and give some stirs until oils comes out from the sides of the pan and chicken gets soft and tender .
4.When the chicken gets soft and tender add water ,Rose water and Kewra water. 
Once it cooked, remove the bay leafs and close the lids for sometime before serving .


Serve the chicken Rezala with rumble roti,naan,saffron rice or with Mughlai Biriyani.

Tel Koi or Climbing Perch Fish

TEL KOI 

What are the two things that caught  your fancy when someone mention kolkata?
Maach,Misti ar Phuchka (fish ,sweets & panipuri)
These small fresh sweet water fishes are very rare in the market .
The fish am talking about is called KOI or Climbing Perch Fish and belong to a family of carps.
Koi fish usually made their appearances in the winter .
So when I found the frozen pack of koi fish in one of my Bangladeshi stores in US,I greedily bought the largest packet available in the stores.
The TEL KOI recipe is very popular in Bengali Cuisine .
The richness of mustard oil ,ginger& green chili makes tel koi more delectable .

INGREDIENTS

• KOI FISH -12 PCS 
• Onion Juice -8tbsp(please strain the juice )
• Ginger Paste -2tbsp
• Garlic Paste -2tbsp
• Tomato Puree -2tbsp
• Green chili -8-9pcs
• Whole Garam masala -

1. Bay leaf 
2. Cloves
3. Cinnamon stick 
4. Cardamon 

• Mustard oil -2cups
• Yoghurt-3tbsp 
• Coriander powder-2tsp
• Cumin powder-2tsp
• Turmeric powder-1tsp
• Red chili powder -as per taste
• Salt -as per taste 
• Sugar -as per taste 
• Cilantro chopped 

METHOD 

1.Wash and clean the fish and rub with pinch of salt and turmeric power .
Keep aside for 15-20 minutes .

2. Heat oil in kadhai ,when it smokes fry the fishes ,till they turn golden on both sides .
 Take them out and keep aside .

3. Now in the same oil or add more oil if requires,heat it slightly and temper the oil with whole garam masala ,green chilies and saute them 
Meanwhile make a paste of cumin ,coriander,red chili powder,turmeric ,tomato puree and keep aside .
4.When green chilies and Garam Masala are slightly fried add garlic ,ginger paste and after few seconds add onion juice fry them for 2 minutes .

5. After 2minutes add the masala paste which you made before with all spices and tomato puree,add sugar ,salt and fry till oil separates from the masala 
Add yoghurt after oil separates from the masala and fry for 1 minute in low flame 

6. After frying the masala add 1cup of water to it and fried fish.
Keep it in a simmer on low heat till the gravy thickens little .

Garnish with fresh twigs of cilantro and Green Chili


Serve hot with steamed rice .