Authentic Chicken Jalfrezi Recipes

CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Take 2-3 diced chicken breasts and coat in 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp turmeric then leave it to marinate in the fridge while you make the sauce.
• To make the sauce, fry ½ roughly chopped large onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 1 finely chopped green chilli in a large pan with a little vegetable oil, for around 5 mins, until browned.
• Add 300ml water to the onion mixture and simmer for around 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put a 400g can plum tomatoes in a food processor and give it a good whizz (aim for a smooth consistency).
• Heat another large pan and gently fry 1 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp cumin and 1 tsp turmeric in a splash of oil for about a minute. Add the tomatoes to this pan and simmer for around 10 minutes.
• Next, whizz your onion mixture in the food processor and add it to the spiced tomato sauce. Season generously, stir, then simmer for 20 minutes. You can make large batches of this sauce and freeze it for later use.
• Fry the marinated chicken in vegetable oil and stir continuously. After a few minutes, turn down the heat and add the remaining ½ sliced onion, 1 chopped red pepper and 2 finely chopped red chillies. Stir until the onions and pepper soften.
• Add the sauce you prepared earlier to the cooked chicken and simmer for around 10-20 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.
• Just before you dish it up, stir in 2 tsp garam masala and handful of chopped coriander leaves. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, and season with turmeric, chili powder and salt. Fry gently, scraping the bottom of the pan frequently and turning the chicken.
• Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, cover the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover, and simmer for another 10 minutes to let the excess liquid evaporate.
• Add the ghee, cumin, ground coriander, ginger and cilantro, and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the chicken pieces with sauce spooned over the top.

CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Finely chop 4 of the chillies - deseed a couple or all of them first if you don't like very spicy food. Split the other 2 chillies from stalk to tip on 1 side without opening or removing the seeds. Cut each chicken breast into 7 or 8 bite-sized chunks. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large, fairly deep, non-stick frying pan (or wok) over a high heat. Add the garlic, chopped chillies, chopped tomatoes, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, sugar and salt, then stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften. Don't let the garlic or spices burn or they will add a bitter flavour to the sauce. Next, add the chicken pieces and whole chillies and cook for 3 minutes, turning the chicken regularly. Pour over the 200ml of water, stir in the yoghurt and reduce the heat only slightly - you want the sauce to simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the sauce has reduced by about a third. The yoghurt may separate to begin with but will disappear into the sauce. While the chicken is cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a clean pan and stir-fry the onion and pepper over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Add the quartered tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes more, stirring until the vegetables are just tender. Mix the cornflour with the tablespoon of water to form a smooth paste. When the chicken is cooked, stir in the cornflour mixture and simmer for a few seconds until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add the hot stir-fried vegetables and toss together lightly. Serve immediately. And just in case you were wondering - don't eat the whole chillies!

CHICKEN JALFREZI RECIPE - CHICKEN AND BELL PEPPERS IN TOMATO GRAVY

Steps:

• To begin making the Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe, firstly make tomato puree and cut all the vegetables.
• Heat oil or butter in a heavy bottomed pan or a Kadai, add the ginger, garlic and onions and saute until the onions become soft and translucent.
• Once the onions are cooked, add bell peppers, carrots and stir fry on medium heat until they are slightly softened.
• Add the chicken pieces and cook till the pieces are roasted and cooked well.
• Next, add diced tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, salt, red chili powder.
• Cook until the tomatoes become mushy. Once done, add tomato puree as well and mix. Cover and cook again for another 10 minutes.
• Finally add honey, and cook or at least 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
• Check the salt and spice levels of the Chicken Jalfrezi and adjust to suit your taste. Give the Jalfrezi a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes and turn off the heat.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve the Chicken Jalfrezi along with Phulka's and Mooli Raita Recipe for a weeknight dinner.

RESTAURANT STYLE CURRIES - HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the onion and bell peppers and fry for about three minutes. You want the veggies to still have a bit of bite to them.
• Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a further 30 seconds and then add the green chillies, chilli powder and mixed powder.
• Stir well to coat the veggies with the spices and then add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer.
• Now add a ladle or two of the base sauce. Let this come to a simmer. Do not stir unless the sauce is sticking to the pan.
• Add the chicken to the simmering sauce and stir so that it is coated with the sauce mixture. You are building this curry from the bottom up. If it is looking dry, add more base sauce. If you add too much, just cook it down until you are happy with the consistency. Ad the tomato and stir in and heath through for a minute
• Season with salt to taste and adjust other seasoning too. If you want it spicier, you could add more chilli powder or green chillies for example. Just be sure to simmer any added spices for a while to cook out the raw flavour.
• Sprinkle the fenugreek leaves and garam masala on top. Garnish with the chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and a twist of lemon or lime to serve.

INDIAN RESTAURANT CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Make the spice mix.
• Dilute the tomato paste with enough water to get to the consistency of passata.
• Heat your frying pan (don't use non-stick) briefly over medium heat. Add the oil. Use all the oil specified. It's important.
• When the oil starts to shimmer add the onions and green peppers and stir every few seconds. You want the green peppers to be skin side down as much as possible. Fry until the pepper starts to blister and the onion edges turn brown.
• Next comes the garlic ginger paste and the cilantro stems. Add them into the pan and cook it, stirring constantly, until the garlic ginger paste stops sputtering.
• Turn down the heat and add the spice mix. This is the critical step. Stir it constantly for 30 seconds. If it starts to darken lift the pan off the heat. You want the spice mix to cook in the oil but not burn.
• Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the diluted tomato paste and stir until bubbles form (the oil will likely separate). This takes around 30 seconds to one minute depending on the heat.
• Add 3 oz of curry base. Stir until bubbles form (little craters really), around 30 seconds. Watch the edges of the pan. The curry can stick here.
• Now add 6 oz of curry base and stir briefly. Let it cook until the bubbles form again. This takes 1-2 minutes.
• Add the rest of the curry base and let cook until the bubbles form. Turn the heat down to low and add the pre-cooked lamb, beef or chicken and the green chilies.
• Let the curry simmer for about 5 minutes. If it gets too thick add a bit more curry base. Don't add water. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they are heated through.
• Garnish with a bit of chopped fresh cilantro and serve.