Chicken Razela

Bengali Style Chicken Rezala

Rezala is a traditional bengali dish mostly influenced by Royal Mughal cuisine. It is believed to be invented by the Lucknow nabab's chef. This dish generally not available out side West Bengal. It is often described as a white gravy dish. It  got its colour from the ingredients used as yogurt, cream, poppy seeds and cashew nuts. It always thought to be a hot dish as the more chili is used. 

My search of good chicken dish landed me on this recipe. When I made this I was very doubtful about the taste. But the out come of this dish blown me away. I am in love with this recipe so do my friends. So here is the recipe of this amazing dish..   

Chicken- 300gms

Onion- 2medium

Garlic- 6

Ginger- 1/2inch piece

Green Chili- 1

Cashew Nuts- 10numbers

Poppy Seeds- 1tbsp

Curd- 1/4cup

Ghee- 1tbsp

Oil- 1/2tbsp

Kashmiri Mirch- 4 to 5

Cumin- 1/2tsp

Clove- 3

Green Cardamom- 2

Bay Leaf- 1

Cinnamon Stick- 1/2inch

Coriander Powder- 1/2tsp

Black pepper Powder- 1/2tsp

Salt To Taste

Sugar- 1/4tsp

2 medium sized onion, 6 garlic, 1/2inch ginger and 1 green chili make a smooth paste.

Soak 10numberz of cashew and 1tbsp of poppy seeds and make a smooth paste.

In a bowl add chicken 300gms, curd 1/4cup, onion paste and salt. Mix everything properly and keep aside for 40mins.

Heat ghee 1tbsp and oil 1/2tsp oil , add 4 to 5 Kashmiri red chili and fry up to crispy. Remove from oil and keep aside. In the same oil  add zeera 1/2tsp, clove 3, green cardamom 2, bay leaf 1 and cinnamon 1/2inch and let it infuse in oil. Then add marinated chicken with marination.

Let this cook for 10 mins. By this time it will almost dry. Then add above cashew and poppy seeds paste, coriander powder and black pepper powder and mix.

Let the cook for another 10mins in low flame.

After 10 mins, gravy will be thick and chicken will soft and cooked properly. At this stage taste and add more salt or proper if needed. Switch off the gas

Finally garnish this with above fried red chili.

Best to eaten with rumali roti, nan, kulcha, pulao or biryani