Bengali Chicken Kasha (Dry-Spiced Chicken)

Ingredients

Contains dairy. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Method

1. 1

   Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to a large bowl.

2. 2

   Mix yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder and 1 tsp salt in a bowl to make the marinade.

3. 3

   Toss the chicken in the marinade until well coated, cover and refrigerate to marinate.

   Marinate at least 30 minutes; up to 3 hours for more flavor.

   45 min
4. 4

   Slice the onions thinly and set aside.

5. 5

   Heat mustard oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat until it just begins to shimmer (smoke briefly if using straight mustard oil), then reduce heat to medium-low.

6. 6

   Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom and cloves and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

7. 7

   Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until they are a deep golden-brown and caramelized.

   Cook on medium-low so the onions brown without burning; stirring every few minutes.

   15 min
8. 8

   Scoop out and reserve half the caramelized onions for garnish, leaving the rest in the pan.

9. 9

   Add ghee to the pan, increase heat to medium-high, and add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer (shake off excess marinade so it doesn't drip too much).

10. 10

    Sear the chicken, undisturbed, 4–5 minutes per side until sealed and lightly browned.

    10 min
11. 11

    Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle the remaining 0.5 tsp salt, ground coriander and ground cumin over the chicken, stir to coat, then add sugar and the reserved caramelized onion bits back in and mix.

12. 12

    Pour in 200 ml water (or stock), bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

    Check once halfway and spoon pan juices over the chicken so it cooks evenly.

    30 min
13. 13

    Uncover, increase heat briefly to reduce any excess liquid until you have a glossy, thick coating on the chicken.

    5 min
14. 14

    Stir in garam masala, squeeze in lemon juice, adjust salt if needed, and remove from heat.

15. 15

    Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with chopped cilantro and slit green chilies.