Name: Hyderabadi Murgh Dalcha
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ⅓ cup Split Bengal Gram, chana dal, soaked; 85 g Boneless Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces; ⅓ cup Bottle Gourd, lauki, peeled and cut into large cubes; ⅔ Onion, finely sliced; ⅔ Tomato, chopped; ½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste, generous amount; 1 tbsp Tamarind Extract, thick paste/juice; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, for heat and color; ⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric, for the curry base; ⅓ tsp Garam Masala, added at the end; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, for sautéing; ⅔ tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped; ⅓ tbsp Mint Leaves, chopped, essential for Hyderabadi flavor; ½ tsp Salt, to taste

3 hr 10 mintotal

1 hr 10 min hands-on2 hr hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 50 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

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Method

Boil the soaked lentils with the measured water and a pinch of turmeric in a pressure cooker until softened (about 5 whistles). Coarsely mash the lentils; deliberately avoid a completely smooth texture.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the cooking oil. Introduce the sliced onions and fry until a rich golden brown is achieved.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell fades. Add the chicken pieces and sear until browned outside.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, remaining turmeric, and salt. Cook down until the tomatoes disintegrate and the oil separates from the masala base.
Fold in the bottle gourd cubes and the required water to deglaze the pan. Cover and simmer on medium heat until both the chicken and gourd are thoroughly tender (about 15 minutes).
15 min
Pour the coarsely mashed lentil mixture into the chicken base. Stir in the tamarind extract to integrate the acidity.
Simmer the combined mixture for 10 minutes, allowing the tangy tamarind and savory meat juices to deeply flavor the lentils. Finish by sprinkling the garam masala, mint leaves, and fresh coriander.
10 min

How to tell it's done

The dalcha should be thick and savoury, with tender chicken, soft bottle gourd and a little bite from the chana dal.

Getting it right

Tip

Add bottle gourd after the chicken starts to soften so it absorbs the tangy gravy without falling apart.

What to serve it with

Serve murgh dalcha with fragrant bagara rice or Hyderabadi dum biryani.

Common mistakes

The bottle gourd collapses and the chicken dries out.: Cook the chicken first, then simmer the bottle gourd only until tender. Keep the final dalcha gently bubbling, not boiling hard.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate murgh dalcha in a shallow covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until hot throughout; freeze for up to 2 months, though bottle gourd softens after thawing.

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Ingredients