Bengali Murgir Jhol
Murgir jhol is an everyday Bengali chicken curry with potato in a light, thin gravy.
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1 hr 25 mintotal
1 hr 5 min hands-on20 min hands-off
Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Medium
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Includes marination time.
Method
Marinate the chicken: coat it thoroughly with the curd, some of the turmeric, a pinch of salt and a splash of raw mustard oil. Leave it to rest for 20 minutes.
20 min
Heat the rest of the mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai until it just begins to smoke, which takes away its raw bite. Turn the heat down.
Rub the potato halves with a little turmeric and salt. Lower them into the hot fat and fry them until a good golden-brown crust forms. Lift them out and set them aside.
Into the residual flavored oil, drop the sugar. Allow it to melt and caramelize slightly—this foundational chef's trick is responsible for the curry's signature deep red hue.
Introduce the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin seeds. Sauté briskly to extract their aromatic oils.
Fold in the chopped onions. Fry with utmost patience on a medium flame until they completely yield and caramelize into a dark golden brown.
Stir in the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook them for 2 minutes to take away their raw, harsh taste.
2 min
Add the marinated chicken. This is the bhunao stage: fry the meat hard over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, until it browns, changes colour right through, and the oil separates out.
10–12 min
Incorporate the chopped tomatoes, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and the remaining turmeric. Cook down the masala for an additional 5 minutes to bind the flavors.
5 min
Return the fried potatoes to the vessel, followed by the slit green chillies, salt, and the measured hot water. (The term 'Jhol' strictly dictates a thin, highly fluid, soupy broth).
Secure the lid and maintain a slow simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. The objective is tender, succulent chicken and potatoes that are buttery soft to the core without disintegrating.
20 min
Turn off the heat. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the fat rises to the top and the flavours settle.
10 min
How to tell it's done
An incredibly light, fiery red, and watery broth suspending perfectly tender chicken and massive, structural potatoes that melt instantly upon contact with the palate.
Getting it right
Tip
A real murgir jhol has a thin gravy. Don't thicken it: the point is a light broth that soaks into hot white rice.
What to serve it with
The undisputed, definitive Sunday afternoon 'Robibarer Jhol' experience in Bengal. Demands to be served piping hot over an intimidating mound of white rice, accented solely by a sharp wedge of fresh lemon.
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