Chicken Rezala

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Bong’s craving for Mughlai food has not been a secret. Be it Biriyani, chaap or desserts like sheer khurma or phirni. Chicken Rezala is one of them. The nutty sauce with flavors of kewra and mitha attar creates an impeccable ambience of Mughlai cuisine on your table. Chicken Rezala is mostly served with roti, paratha, naan, roomali roti, lachha paratha. However, it can also be served with rice.

Chicken Rezala doesn’t require the use of spices like turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder etc. Rather cashew nut paste and poppy seed paste is used to enhance the richness and creaminess of the sauce. Nevertheless, it can form a great party platter or a part of your special meals at home.

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Mughlai

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Servings: 5

Ingredients

1 Kg of chicken (curry cut)
1 large or 2 small onions made into paste
1 tablespoon of ginger grated
1 tablespoon of garlic paste
3-4 green chilies made into paste
¼ cup of yogurt
3-4 whole red chilies
3-4 whole cardamom
6-8 cloves
8-10 whole peppercorns
1 inch of cinnamon stick broken into pieces
3 tablespoons of oil
2 tablespoons of ghee
10-12 cashew nuts
2 tablespoon of poppy seeds
1 teaspoon of garam masala powder
Salt to taste
2-3 drops of Kewra essence
2-3 drops of mitha attar

Directions

Marinade the chicken with salt, yogurt, onion paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and green chili paste.
Soak the cashew nuts and poppy seeds and grind them to a fine paste.
Take a kadai and add the oil and ghee to the kadai.
Once hot, add the whole red chilies, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon.
As the oil turns aromatic, add the chicken without the marinade.
Saute the chicken for 4-5 minutes and then add the marinade to the kadai.
Then, add the cashew and poppy seed paste to the kadai.
Mix well, cover and let it cook on medium heat till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan.
Now, add about ½ cup of water and let it simmer till you achieve the desired consistency.
Add the garam masala, kewra essence and mitha attar and turn off the flame.
Serve the chicken rezala hot with roti, paratha.

Step by step instructions to prepare chicken rezala

Marinade the chicken with yogurt, onion paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and green chili paste.

Soak the cashew nuts and poppy seeds and grind them to a fine paste.

Take a kadai and add the oil and ghee to the kadai. Once hot, add the whole red chilies, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon.

As the oil turns aromatic, add the chicken without the marinade.

Saute the chicken for 4-5 minutes and then add the marinade to the kadai.

Then, add the cashew and poppy seed paste to the kadai.

Mix well, cover and let it cook on medium heat till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan.

Now, add about ½ cup of water and let it simmer till you achieve the desired consistency.

Add the garam masala, kewra essence and mitha atar and turn off the flame. Serve the chicken rezala hot with roti, paratha.

Thank you for stopping by. If you like the recipe do not forget to hit like. If you prepare this dish and publish your photos on Facebook and Instagram do tag #theepicureanfeast. Also for queries you can mail me epicureanfeast2019@gmail.com