Bengali Chicken Kasha

Today I have come up with an authentic Bengali Chicken recipe.Out here in Bengal ,’Kasha Mangsho’ is very popular .’Kasha Mangsho ‘ is a preparation where the chicken is spicy and would be kept semi dry. The gravy is nearly negligible.

There is a small twist in this recipe,the ‘masala’ gets cooked after the chicken unlike  any Bengali recipe.

This is a tried and tasted method, which is being followed in our family for decades.

 Serves-5

Ingredients:

1.Chicken- 1 kg (cut into small-medium size)

2.Onions- 300 gm(chopped)

3.Ginger Paste-2 tsp

4.Garlic paste- 1 tsp

5.Coriander seeds (dhania)-2 tsp

6.Cumin seeds (jeera )- ½ tsp

7.Black pepper (whole)- 2 tsp

8.Cinnamon (Darchini)- 2 (1 inch long)

9.Green cardamom(Choto Elach)-3 pc

10.Red chili(Sukna Lanka) – 2 (whole, seeds removed)

11.Bay Leaf(Tej pata)-1

12Curd – 1 cup (bitten)

13.Mustard oil-4 tbsp

14.Salt

 15.Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

16.Chopped coriander-2 tbsp

Process:

1.Wash and drain the chicken. Add 1 tsp of salt and mix well. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

2.Take a mixer/grinder container. Add Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Black pepper, Cinnamon, Green cardamom, Red chilies,Ginger garlic paste.

3. Blend them well into thick ‘masala’ paste.Use as little water as possible while preparing the ‘masala’.

4.Drain the chicken again as water would come out due to adding salt.

5.Add the bitten curd, ‘masala’/spice paste and turmeric powder into the chicken and mix well.

6.Keep it for 30 minutes, preferably in a refrigerator.

7.Heat the oil in a pan/kadai. Add the bay leaves and then the chopped onions.

8.Fry it till deep golden brown.

9.Add the marinated chicken and cook it in low heat for 10 minutes with a lid/cover on the pan. Stir occasionally.

10.After 10 minutes take out the cover and you will see lots of water coming out of the chicken.

11.Till this time the Spice/’masala’ has not been fried, although the chicken is 75% cooked.

12.Now, increase the flame and cook the chicken till the oil comes out of the chicken. Check the salt as well. Add if required.

13.Stir frequently to prevent sedimentation of the spice at the bottom of the pan.

14.Once the oil completely comes out of the chicken, lower the flame again and cook it for another 3-4 minutes.

15.Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with ‘Rotis or plain rice.