Patla Murgir Jhol / Bengali Simple Thin Chicken Curry

This is the season of Gandhoraj Lebu...our very own desi breed of Caffir lime. Although not juicy like the lime or lemon...but its heavenly aromatic. Its zest, juice and leaves are equally and heavily utilised in every kitchen of Bengal. This particular lemon is capable of turning the table for any boring curry. Be it just dal or a simple vegetable curry. Squeeze some gandhoraj lebu and mix with some salt...and you are set for a very traditional meal...irrespective of the content and texture of that dish.

For me...a simple chicken curry and gandhoraj lebu is a match made in heaven. A soupy thin curry with just turmeric powder and red chilli powder is something my mother cooked the best. Its what I miss the most in this hot summer...along with the gandhoraj lebu of course. But even on its own, this curry is so satisfying that for the time being I can give the Gondhoraj Lebu a temporary pass. So if you need a simple curry to soothe your soul...I bet this chicken curry is the one you should grab right now. Its light and super yummy!!!

Temper the oil with whole spices.

Add the sliced onions and cook until translucent.

Add ginger-garlic-chilli paste and cook till the raw smell of the garlic is gone.

Add the powdered spices and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the chicken pieces.

Mix well and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until all the moisture evaporates.

Add water, potatoes and give a good stir.

Cook until the chicken is completely cooked and the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

Patla Murgir Jhol / Bengali Simple Chicken Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken on bone

2 onions – sliced

2 medium potatoes – peeled and halved

6 fat cloves of garlic – minced

1 inch ginger – minced

2 green chillies – finely chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp coriander powder

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

1 medium cinnamon stick

3 cloves

3 green cardamoms

1 bay leaf

Salt & sugar

2 tbsp mustard oil

A handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Heat the oil in a kadai and temper it with cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and bay leaves.

Sauté them for half a minute or until the oil becomes aromatic and then add the sliced onions to them.

Sprinkle some salt and sugar over them and cook the onions until they become translucent and reddish at the edges.

Now add the ginger – garlic paste and cook them on medium heat for 2 minutes or until the strong garlic flavour is gone.

Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander power and cook for anoher minutes to ward off the raw smell of the spices.

When the spices are cooked throw in the chicken pieces into the kadai and sprinkle some more salt over them.

Mix the chicken with the onions and spices so that they are evenly coated with them and put on the cover.

Cook the chicken covered for 15 minutes or until all the water that will ooze out from the chicken in this process is evaporates. Do stir the chicken pieces every 3 minutes so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Now add 2 cups of water and the halved potatoes to them.

Give a good stir and put the lid on again.

Cook the chicken until they are completely done. This will take another 15-20 minutes more depending on the quality of your chicken. Stir them as usual every 2-3 minutes to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

After the chicken is cooked, open the lid and simmer the curry on medium flame until the gravy reaches your desired consistency and the oil starts to float on top of it.

Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves on top of them.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Put off the flame and serve hot with plain hot rice.