Lal Murgir Jhol ~ Another Robibarer Murgir Jhol

Murgir Jhol can be as versatile as you wish. Of course the mughlai cuisine offers a big platter, but regional cuisines always surprise me with its flavour, simplicity and ingredients. I like Marathi Chicken curries because of their awesome taste, flavour and rustic hotness in the curry. Bengali Chicken Curries are also versatile. Depending only on the techniques they appear in different attire and different tastes. One of them which I like very much is this “Lal Murgir Jhol”.

This is a rustic chicken preparation, with a very thin curry which is red hot in colour and has oil floating on top of it. Ma hated it but I and father used to insist her for making this red hot chicken curry. I loved the floating oil and its fiery colour. To me they were sensational. Ma sometimes added boiled eggs to the chicken curry.  It added more yumness to the lunch. When cooking this murgir jhol ma did not grind the ginger – garlic smoothly but left them rather coarse.

Marinate the chicken with onions, ginger - garlic, green chilli paste, broken dry red chillies, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and some salt.

Heat the mustard oil in a kadai.

When the oil is hot enough add the marinated chicken to the oil. Cover and cook on low flame until the chicken is tender, stirring occasionally.

Dry red chillies (without seeds) do not impart that much hotness in taste. What they do well is they give a nice red colour to the curry, which is it’s plus point. I generally use a little bit more oil than I would normally use for cooking other curries, but that of course is a personal choice.

But what I can guarantee is that after cooking this you will realize that less is always more. And only with red chilli powder and turmeric powder, this scrumptious curry is just finger licking good.
Note : There is another murgir jhol / chicken curry recipe, which is again a Sunday special. You can check the recipe here.

Lal Murgir Jhol ~  Another Robibarer Murgir Jhol

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken on bones

2 medium onions – sliced

2 medium potatoes – peeled and halved

4-6 cloves of garlic

1 inch stick of ginger

3-4 green chillies

3-4 dry red chillies - broken into half

1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp red chilli powder (increase or decrease according to your heat tolerance)

2 tbsp mustard oil

Method:

Using a mortar and pestle or small grinder make a coarse paste of the ginger and fresh green chillies, with a little water. Once done, keep them aside.

In a bowl mix in a handful of the onions, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, prepared ginger – garlic – chilli paste, ½ tbsp mustard oil and salt. Add the chicken to this and the rub the spices and the ginger-garlic paste on the chicken. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1hour.

Heat 1 and ½ tbsp mustard oil in a kadai.

Once the oil is hot enough shallow fry the potatoes in the oil until they become golden. Once done take them out of the pan and keep aside.

Add in the entire marinated chicken into the kadai.

Put cover and let the chicken to cook on low flame.

Do check every 5 minutes and stir so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

When all the moisture is evaporated, add in 2 cups of water and the fried potatoes. Mix again, put cover and let the chicken cook for around 12-15 minutes more, or until the chicken is properly cooked.

Once the chicken is cooked through, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Simmer till the gravy reaches your preferred consistency and the oil starts to float on top of the gravy.

This is the time you know your gravy aka “jhol” is done. Put off the flame and serve hot with steamed hot rice.