Bengali Chicken Curry
Bengali Chicken Curry is a flavorful, spicy, and soupy chicken curry dish with tender chicken pieces and potatoes. Infused with aromatic Bengali spices, this dish is a perfect balance of heat and flavor, often served with rice or bread. The special masala mix gives it an authentic Bengali taste.
Ingredients
- 200 grams Chicken (boneless or bone-in, as preferred)
- 1 Potato, cubed
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green chilies (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil (or vegetable oil)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
- Water or chicken broth (for curry consistency)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, and nutmeg)
- 1 teaspoon panch phoron (Bengali five-spice mix – fenugreek, mustard seeds, cumin, black cumin, and fennel seeds)
Special Masala
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: Clean the chicken and chop the potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. Prepare the ginger-garlic paste and measure out the spices.
- Heat oil: In a pan, heat mustard oil (or your preferred oil) over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and cloves. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- Cook onions: Add finely chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes: Add the ginger-garlic paste and chopped tomatoes to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the oil starts separating.
- Spice it up: Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and the special Bengali masala (garam masala and panch phoron). Stir well and cook for another minute.
- Add chicken and potatoes: Add the chicken pieces and cubed potatoes. Stir to coat them with the spices. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Simmer the curry: Add enough water (or chicken broth) to cover the chicken and potatoes. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are tender.
- Final touches: Check for seasoning and adjust salt if necessary. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve: Serve the Bengali Chicken Curry hot with steamed rice or naan bread.
Note
- Adjust the level of spiciness by varying the number of green chilies and red chili powder.
- If you prefer a thicker curry, you can reduce the amount of water and let it cook further to thicken.
- Bengali chicken curry can also be made with bone-in chicken for a more flavorful base.