Murgi nu Rasawalu Shaak

Name: Murgi nu Rasawalu Shaak
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: gujarati
Ingredients: 600 g chicken (bone-in pieces, cleaned); 2 tbsp oil; 2 pcs onion (medium, finely chopped); 2 pcs tomato (medium, finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (crushed); 6 pcs garlic (cloves, crushed); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt; 2 cup water (for gravy); 0.5 tsp jaggery (grated); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

RATING

4.4/5(68)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A homestyle Gujarati chicken curry with a light, flavorful gravy built from onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and warming spices. It is comforting, gently spiced, and made to be scooped up with rotli or served beside plain rice.

PREP

20m

COOK

40m

SERVES

1 KATORI

328 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prep the chicken and masala ingredients.
1.Clean and drain the chicken pieces well.
2.Finely chop the onion and tomato.
3.Crush the ginger and garlic together.
4.Slit the green chilies and chop the coriander leaves.
saute · ~8 min
Cook the onion base.
1.Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat.
2.Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 to 30 seconds.
3.Add the chopped onion and cook until light golden, about 6 to 7 minutes.
4.Add crushed ginger, garlic, and green chilies and cook for 1 minute.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the onion browns evenly without burning the garlic.
saute · ~6 min
Make the masala.
1.Add the chopped tomato and mix well.
2.Stir in turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
3.Cook until the tomatoes soften and the masala looks thick and glossy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
saute · ~6 min
Coat the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces and turn them well in the masala until every piece is coated. Cook on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken changes color.
simmer · ~25 min
Add water and cook the shaak.
Pour in the water and bring the curry to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy is light but flavorful.
TIPStir once or twice during simmering so the masala does not catch at the bottom.
simmer · ~3 min
Balance the gravy.
Add the jaggery and lemon juice, then simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes to bring the flavors together. Taste and adjust the gravy consistency with a splash of water if needed.
garnish
Finish with coriander leaves.
serve
Serve hot with rotli or plain rice.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

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

1
Drain the chicken well before adding it, or the masala will loosen too early and taste boiled instead of bhunaoed.
2
Cook the onions only to light golden; darker browning can make this Gujarati-style rasawalu shaak taste bitter.
3
Let the tomato masala turn thick and glossy before adding chicken so the gravy stays flavorful even though it is light.
4
After adding the chicken, saute until the raw pink color disappears; this helps the pieces absorb the onion-tomato spice base.
5
Add jaggery and lemon only at the end so the sweet-sour balance stays bright and the gravy does not turn flat.
6
If making ahead, rest the curry for a few hours before reheating; the light gravy tastes more rounded the next day.
7
For serving with rotli, keep the gravy slightly thinner; for rice, simmer uncovered a bit longer to concentrate it.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adapt it for your goals.

spicier

Spicier

Add an extra green chili or a little more red chili powder if you prefer a sharper, hotter gravy.

low oil

Low-oil

Reduce the oil slightly and cook the onions more slowly with a splash of water; useful if you want a lighter everyday curry.

potato added

Potato-added

Add cubed potatoes during the simmer for a heartier shaak that stretches further and pairs especially well with rotli.

boneless

Boneless

Use boneless chicken for easier eating, but simmer a little less so the pieces stay juicy.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Why this is on our healthy list.

✓

Protein-Rich Main Dish

Chicken provides satisfying protein, making this curry filling and suitable as the centerpiece of a meal.

✓

Aromatic Digestive Spices

Ginger, garlic, cumin, and coriander bring traditional flavor while adding warming aromatic compounds to the dish.

✓

Tomato-Based Gravy

Tomatoes and onions create the body of the curry, adding vegetables and natural savory-sweet depth without cream.

✓

Lighter Curry Style

This shaak uses a relatively light, water-based gravy rather than a rich nut or dairy-heavy sauce.

QUESTIONS?

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Boneless chicken works well, but reduce the simmering time so it does not dry out, since bone-in pieces take longer and add more flavor to the gravy.