The Hirshon Bengali Royal Chicken Rezala – চিকেন রেজালা

Citizens, your beloved and immortal Leader – the forever regal TFD! – is inordinately fond of a unique sub-group of Indian food, specifically those hailing from the city of Lucknow and its unmatched royal Muslim cuisine!

Rezala is a traditional Bangladeshi dish highly-influenced by Royal Mughlai cuisine. The dish most probably was invented in Bangladesh by chefs who came along with the exiled Nawab of Lucknow (home to the most legendary Indian recipes, at least according to TFD!) after the partition of the subcontinent, when East Bengal was a part of newly-founded Pakistan (West Bengal), then known as East Pakistan.

Wajid Ali Shah was the 10th and last Nawab of Awadh – as noted in “Awadh Under Wajid Ali Shah” by Dr. G.D. Bhatnagar:

“Cast by providence for the role of an accomplished dilettante, he found himself a misfit for the high office to which he was elevated by chance. Wajid Ali Shah’s character was complex. Though he was a man of pleasure, he was neither an unscrupulous knave nor a brainless libertine. He was a lovable and generous gentleman. He was a voluptuary, still he never touched wine, and though sunk in pleasure, he never missed his five daily prayers. It was the literary and artistic attainments of Wajid Ali Shah which distinguished him from his contemporaries.”

This man most definitely sounds like a gentleman after TFD’s own heart – I am saddened I never had the opportunity to know except through the dim mists of historical anecdotes…

This dish has a rich Mughlai aroma, with the texture and taste of a classic meat-based curry of lamb with onions in yogurt and ghee. The chunks of tender meat rest in a flavorsome white gravy made from yogurt, cashew nut and poppy seed paste, flavored with subtle spices. Rezala is both regal and flavorsome and TFD is delighted to share the recipe with you today!

I hope you enjoy this rare recipe, Citizens! 😀 My version is based very closely on one from calmlycookingcurry.blogspot.com, though I have added dried rose petals and pure silver foil (varq) to really emphasize the Lucknow/royal origins of this dish. 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Bengali Royal Chicken Rezala – চিকেন রেজালা

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lbs. chicken, skinless and cut into 8 pieces
• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 cassia leaves/tej patta
• 5 dried red chilis/lal mirch
• 7 cloves/laung
• 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 8 green cardamoms/elaichi, bruised in mortar and pestle
• 4 black cardamoms/kali elaichi
• 10 black peppercorns/kali mirch, whole
• ***
• Grind to smooth paste for gravy:
• 3/4 cup yogurt/dahi
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped roughly
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar/chinni (this will keep the yogurt from splitting)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• ***
• Grind to smooth paste for marinade:
• 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt/dahi, preferably from Jersey cows
• 1/2 cup onions, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. ginger/adrak paste
• 2 tbsp. garlic/lahsun paste
• 2 green chilis/hari mirch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper, freshly-ground
• 1 tsp cumin/jeera, freshly-ground
• 2 tsp freshly-ground coriander/dhania
• 1/2 tsp mace/javitri
• 1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg/jaiphal
• 1/2 tbsp. ground cashews/kaju
• 1/2 tbsp. ground white poppy seeds
• 4 green chilis/hari mirch, chopped roughly (omit for less heat)
• 1 tbsp. powdered dried rose petals
• ***
• For garnish:
• large pinch of Kashmiri saffron strands
• 2 tsp kewra water
• 10–12 dry-roasted almonds (optional for garnish)
• Silver foil (varq)

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Instructions

1. Grind all ingredients listed under marinade to a smooth paste. Coat all chicken pieces in marinade mix and place in sealable airtight container. Allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight in the refrigerator.
2. When ready to cook, grind all ingredients listed under gravy to smooth paste and set aside. Heat oil and ghee in deep heavy bottomed skillet or kadhai and fry cassia leaves/tej patta, dried red chilis/lal mirch, cloves/laung, cumin seeds/jeera, green cardamoms/elaichi, black cardamoms/kali elaichi, and black peppercorns/kali mirch.
3. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes add the smooth paste for gravy from step 2 to pan with fried spices and stir well. Return pan to heat and bring mixture to simmer. Allow gravy mixture to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken pieces with marinade to simmering gravy mixture. Allow chicken mixture to simmer covered over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked completely. You shouldn’t have to add any liquid to this dish, the chicken should cook covered in its own juices to intensify the flavors.
5. Turn off heat and stir in saffron strands. Allow saffron to steep in dish for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with kewra water and dry roasted almonds just before serving with rice, naan, or rotis. Apply the varq carefully onto each piece of chicken by blowing it gently onto the pieces.

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