Chicken rezala curry that is Bengali in origin, my version is gloriously fragrant, relatively mild and uses bone-in chicken drumsticks.
This recipe takes a little under an hour and a half to prepare and cook, and requires a bit of preparation. But it is well worth the effort, and it delivers a delicious and very different curry!
Bengali Murgh Rezala
I love a good curry, and you can guarantee that my take on a "new to me" curry recipe will pop up on my site every month or two.
My latest addition is a glorious yoghurt-based Bengali chicken rezala.
Yoghurt-based curry sauces are fantastic, arguably the most well-known is featured in lamb pasanda. However, I also have a salmon curry in a yoghurt sauce and see wonderful venison meatballs in an Indian-influenced yoghurt sauce.
Like all of my recipes, this is based on research and then massively influenced by who I am as a cook and what I love.
There is a lot of prep work to do in this recipe. We begin by making an old-fashioned Indian boiled onion puree, which is the base for so many classic "white curries".
Then we toast off a wonderfully fragrant spice mix that features everything from mace and cinnamon to cumin and coriander.
A rezala curry would not be the same without white poppy seeds, and in my version, they are made into a paste with cashew nuts.
Finally, a simple garlic and ginger puree is needed, but once all of those things are in the bag, it is a simple curry to cook. Just let it simmer for a while and decide whether you are gonna blend and add the final flourish of a little saffron.
You'll love this curry, it's very different to the fiery brown numbers and it is simply delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, they will be fine in this recipe. They may take a few minutes longer to cook depending on their size.
Can I use chicken breast?
There is no reason not to, but it has very little flavour, it cooks quite quickly and can become very dry when overcooked. So technically yes, but I would not choose to use them in this chicken rezala!
Can I leave the skin on the chicken?
The cooking processes in this recipe really do not lend themselves to skin-on chicken. It would be safe to eat, however it would not be very nice.
Can I use low/no-fat yoghurt?
I would avoid it in this recipe because it is less stable and is much more prone to splitting.
Do I have to add the saffron?
No, the saffron is optional, but I love the flavour and colour that it adds to the dish.
Do I have to blend the sauce at the end of the cooking process?
No, I do it because I love how silky it makes the sauce!
Serving Suggestions
Rice is always a solid option as a side for a curry, and I have served my chicken rezala in these pictures with a jeera rice.
But you could add everything from plain boiled or steamed rice to a lovely pilau rice.
Flatbreads like naan bread or chapatis are always popular sides for a curry.
However, the sauce here is much thinner than most curries, and the meat is on the bone, which makes a bread side a little less ideal. That does not mean that you shouldn't go there!
I would be much more inclined to serve them with a pile of poppadoms, mint raita and kachumber salad as a starter, though!
It would also work wonderfully with aloo methi or fenugreek potatoes.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Mini blender and or a pestle and mortar.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Kitchen knife and paring knife.
- Mixing bowls.
- Blender (optional).
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Quick-read meat thermometer (optional), to check that the chicken has reached 73°C or 165°F.
Chicken Rezala Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For the Boiled Onion Puree:
- 1 Large Onion 250g
- 175 ml Water ¾ Cup
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Bay Leaf
For the Poppy Seed and Cashew Paste:
- 1½ tablespoon White Poppy Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Cashew Nuts
- 50 ml Boiling Water 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
For the Spice Mix:
- 1 Blade Mace
- 50 mm Cassia Bark 2" Length
- 2 Green Cardamom Pods
- 1 Black Cardamom Pod
- 1 teaspoon Black Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Seeds
For the Chicken:
- 4 Skinless (Bone In) Chicken Drumsticks 500g Total
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 15 g Ginger ½ Thumb-Sized Piece
- 4 Green Finger Chilli Peppers
- ½ teaspoon Salt Plus an Extra Pinch to Pound the Garlic and Ginger
- 250 g Natural Yoghurt 1 Cup (Full fat)
- 125 ml Water ½ Cup
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 tablespoon Milk Optional
- 1 Pinch Saffron Optional
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop the onion and place it in a 15cm saucepan with the water, cloves and bay leaf. Bring this to a boil and then cook on a rolling boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove, cool and blitz or pound in a pestle and mortar, making sure you remove the bay leaf and cloves before blending.
- Place the white poppy seeds and cashew nuts in a small bowl, pour over the boiling water and allow them to sit for 10 minutes, then either pound to a paste in a pestle and mortar or blitz in a mini blender.
- Heat a 20cm or 8" saucepan over a medium-high heat, toss in all of the ingredients for the spice mix and toast them until they become fragrant, then grind them to a fine powder.
- Peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves and ginger, toss them into a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt and pound them to a paste.
- Pierce the chilli peppers 5-6 times with the tip of a paring knife.
- Season the chicken drumsticks with the salt.
- Return the 20cm (8") saucepan you used to toast the spices to a medium-high heat and add the ghee. When the ghee has melted and is hot, sear the chicken drumsticks on all sides for 3-4 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and add the chilli peppers, garlic and ginger paste, cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the spice mix from step 3 and stir to coat the spices in the oil, then add the boiled onion puree and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the water and add the poppy seed and cashew paste, give everything a stir, return the chicken and bring this mix to a boil.
- Take a few tablespoons of the sauce from the pan and stir it through the yoghurt to temper it, then add the tempered yoghurt to the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 35-40 minutes.
- If you are adding the saffron, heat the milk (a microwave is the easiest way to do this), add the saffron, leave it to sit for a couple of minutes, then pour it into the curry, stir and cook for a final 2-3 minutes. You should time this phase so that it all happens at the end of the 35-40 minute cooking time.
- I like to remove the chicken and blend the sauce before serving. This is optional, but it leads to the most beautiful, silky smooth sauce.
