Chicken Jalfrezi (Indian Restaurant Style)

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 3 green chilies (slit lengthwise)
• 0.5 cup mixed peppers (diced into large chunks)
• 0.5 onion (diced into large chunks)
• 1 tomato (cut into wedges)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (mixed with a little water)
• 1 tbsp mix powder (standard BIR curry mix powder)
• 0.5 tsp chili powder (adjust to heat preference)
• 0.5 tsp salt (to taste)
• 300 ml base gravy (warmed)
• 250 g pre-cooked chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
• 0.25 tsp garam masala (for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Add the garlic and ginger paste to the hot oil. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until the raw smell disappears and it becomes fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the slit green chilies, diced onions, and mixed peppers to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften slightly but still retain some crunch.

4. 4

   Add the tomato paste mixture, mix powder, chili powder, and salt. Stir well to combine with the vegetables.

5. 5

   Add a small splash of base gravy (about 50ml) to the pan to prevent the spices from burning. Stir and cook until the oil begins to separate from the spice paste.

6. 6

   Add the pre-cooked chicken pieces and the tomato wedges. Stir to coat the chicken thoroughly in the spice base.

7. 7

   Pour in the remaining base gravy. Increase the heat to high and bring the curry to a vigorous simmer.

8. 8

   Allow the sauce to reduce and thicken for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should become dark and cling to the chicken and vegetables.

9. 9

   Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and a pinch of garam masala. Stir through one last time.

10. 10

    Serve hot with pilau rice or fresh naan bread.

Notes

This recipe requires a pre-made Indian Base Gravy (Base Sauce) and pre-cooked chicken, which are staples of British Indian Restaurant cooking. If you don't have pre-cooked chicken, you can sauté raw chicken breast until opaque before adding the vegetables.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Indian
• curry
• chicken
• spicy
• dinner
• BIR