Chicken Jhal Farezi

The dish you find here is a traditional family recipe. It was a usual Sunday lunch; of course it wasn't chicken but a mutton Jhal farezi, combined with a khichdi pulao and salad. Raita was optional. The secret of a great Jhal farezi lies in the 'bhuno' (ing) or as one would say browning, a term which again for me does not actually describe the 'bhuno' process.




Ingredients:

Chicken............................1/2 kg (I used boneless from thigh and drumstick)

Onion...............................1 big one, chopped fine

Ginger.............................1" chopped fine

Garlic..............................4 flakes (big variety) chopped fine

Coriander powder...........2 tsps

Red chilli pwdr.................acc to taste

Garam Masala................1/2 tsp

Tomato...........................1 large or two small, chopped

Green cardamom...........5 whole

Cinnamon......................2 medium sticks

Cloves............................4

Pepper corns.................8-12

Olive oil

Salt to taste

Green coriander leaves for garnish



TIP: This dish is usually made with mutton, which being a red meat, gives it a robust flavour. And it also involves slow and longer 'bhuno' process.



Heat the oil and drop in the cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and add the chopped onions. When they turn translucent, add the chopped ginger and garlic.




Stir fry until the onions begin to turn brown on the edges. Lower the flame. Add chilli and coriander powder. Stir around for a few seconds. Now is the time to toss in the chopped tomatoes. Add salt. This also releases the juice of the tomatoes. Cover and allow to simmer till the tomatoes are soft and can be mashed with the ladle. NOTE: If the tomatoes aren't juicy, add a bit of water and simmer.




When the spice mixture is ready, add the chicken and mix it in so all the spices are amalgamated into the chicken pieces. Continue to turn it around on a medium heat until the water content of the chicken is released and dried out. The oil will start to separate.



Add a bit of water, say about 1/2 a cup. Cover and allow to simmer on low heat.




When the chicken is tender and the masala is the right consistency; neither watery nor too thick, the dish is ready. Check for seasoning. Sprinkle garam masala and stir it in. take it off the fire.




Garnish with green chopped coriander and serve with rotis, parathas, or khichdi pulao.
Khichdi pulao recipe is under the label: Some More.

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Comments

  1. I made this too! Fam loved it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. A great dish I learned from the Thomas family cookbook. So simple. Quick to make and full of flavor. Satisfying too!

    ReplyDelete

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