Chicken Rezala

Name: Chicken Rezala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: bengali
Ingredients: 750 g chicken (bone-in, cut into medium pieces); 0.75 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 2 pcs onion (medium, made into a smooth paste); 1 tbsp ginger (made into a paste); 1 tbsp garlic (made into a paste); 3 pcs green chili (slit); 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tbsp oil; 2 pcs bay leaf; 4 pcs green cardamom (lightly crushed); 4 pcs cloves; 1 inch cinnamon (stick); 6 pcs black peppercorns; 12 pcs cashew nuts (soaked and ground to a paste); 1 tbsp poppy seeds (soaked and ground to a paste); 1 pinch white pepper powder; 0.5 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp kewra water; 1.5 cup water (hot)

RATING

4.6/5(115)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

A fragrant Bengali-style chicken curry with a pale, silky gravy built from yogurt, onion paste, ginger, garlic, and warm whole spices. It is gently spiced rather than fiery, with a rich finish that goes beautifully with pulao or roomali roti.

PREP

20m

COOK

40m

SERVES

1 KATORI

468 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~15 min
Make the pastes and prep the chicken.
1.Grind the onion to a smooth paste.
2.Grind the soaked cashew nuts and poppy seeds with a little water to a smooth paste.
3.Whisk the yogurt until smooth.
4.Wash the chicken and pat it dry.
TIPKeep the onion paste smooth so the gravy stays silky and pale.
saute · ~1 min
Warm the fat and cook the whole spices.
1.Heat the ghee and oil together in a heavy pan over medium heat.
2.Add bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns.
3.Cook for 30 to 40 seconds until fragrant.
saute · ~8 min
Cook the onion and ginger-garlic base.
1.Add the onion paste and cook on medium-low heat.
2.Stir often until the raw smell fades and the paste looks lightly glossy.
3.Add the ginger paste and garlic paste.
4.Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more without letting the mixture brown deeply.
TIPRezala should stay light in color, so use gentle heat and avoid dark browning.
mix · ~3 min
Add the yogurt and nut paste.
1.Lower the heat.
2.Add the whisked yogurt a little at a time, stirring constantly.
3.Mix in the cashew and poppy seed paste until smooth.
TIPLow heat and steady stirring help keep the yogurt from splitting.
saute · ~6 min
Coat the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces and mix well so every piece is coated in the pale masala. Add salt, sugar, white pepper powder, and slit green chili, then cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning the chicken a few times.
simmer · ~25 min
Simmer the rezala gently.
Pour in the hot water and bring the curry to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is tender and the gravy is smooth and lightly rich.
TIPA gentle simmer keeps the gravy creamy and helps the chicken stay tender.
garnish · ~5 min
Finish with kewra water.
Turn off the heat and stir in the kewra water. Rest the curry for 5 minutes so the aroma settles into the gravy.
serve
Serve the chicken rezala hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Pat the chicken very dry before it hits the masala so the gravy stays silky instead of watery.
2
Cook the onion paste only until the raw smell disappears; deep browning will darken the classic pale rezala color.
3
Add the whisked yogurt in small additions over low heat to prevent splitting in the hot pan.
4
Use hot water for simmering, as cold water can tighten the yogurt-nut gravy and slow cooking.
5
Keep the curry at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the chicken stays tender and the sauce remains smooth.
6
Stir in kewra water only after turning off the heat; prolonged cooking can flatten its delicate floral aroma.
7
Rezala tastes even better after a short rest, so let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving with pulao or roomali roti.