Kolkata Chicken Rezala

Rezala was brought to Kolkata by the court cooks of the last Nawab of Awadh. It is white rather than red: meat cooked in yoghurt, cashew paste and onion paste with whole spices, fragrant with kewra water.

Traditionally made with mutton – this chicken version is quicker. Serve with lachha paratha or rice.

• Serves 4
• Prep 20 min
• Marinate 60 min
• Cook 40 min
• gluten-free · Mild
• Famous in West Bengal (Kolkata)

Ingredients

• 800 g chicken pieces
• 200 g thick yoghurt
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• ½ tsp white pepper, 1 tsp salt
• 2 onions, boiled 5 minutes and blended to a paste
• 3 tbsp cashews, soaked and ground with a little milk
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf, 4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 3 cm cinnamon
• 4 whole dried red chillies (for aroma, not heat)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp kewra water
• A pinch of nutmeg and mace

Method

1. Marinate the chicken with yoghurt, ginger-garlic, white pepper and salt for 1 hour.
2. Heat the ghee, add the whole spices and dried chillies, then the onion paste. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes without browning.
3. Add the chicken with the marinade and cook on low heat, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring now and then.
4. Stir in the cashew paste and sugar and simmer 5 minutes until creamy.
5. Finish with kewra water, nutmeg and mace.

Tip: Keep the heat low throughout so the sauce stays white and smooth.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.