Chicken Jalfrezi
This recipe is an homage. While aboard the Ocean, en route to Prince Edward Island, we had three choices for dinner: haddock Dugléré, chicken jalfrezi, or fish chowder and sandwich. Meredith went for the chicken, everyone else had haddock. Fred looked at Meredith’s, knew it was better, and talked the entire trip about ordering it on our return. As we made our way back to Quebec, all he wanted was a warm and true jalfrezi. So we’re back on the train, in our favorite booth, two bottles of wine down when the attendant comes to our table. Fred orders. “Sorry, sir, all we have left are ham sandwiches and Pringles.” Devastation in the form of a one-hour rant about the decline of the railroad ensues. The jalfrezi had such an impact that we wanted to get it into this chapter. So we asked ex–Joe Beefer and curry pro Kaunteya Nundy to come up with a classic jalfrezi. Not surprisingly, he came up with a recipe that put the VIA Rail version to shame. This is for Fred. And this is what Kaunteya had to say about the dish: “I asked my family what jalfrezi means, and I was told by my Bengali grandmother [Calcutta region] that jal means ‘hot’ and frezi means ‘fry.’ This is a very Anglo-Indian dish that was invented by the British. My mom, Shobhna Nundy, and I created this recipe. We made it three times to make sure that it was just right and would not blow away the ‘white folks’ from a spicy [heat] level.”
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
SPICE MIX
JALFREZI
BASMATI RICE
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the spice mix, in a small sauté pan, combine the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, bay leaves, dried chiles, and cardamom and roast over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until a very fragrant cumin aroma is released. Let cool. Transfer to a spice grinder, add the cloves and fennel seeds, and grind to a fine powder. Pour into a small bowl, add the turmeric and mix well. Set aside.
Step 2
To make the jalfrezi, preheat a large, thick-bottomed stew pot over high heat and add the vegetable oil. At the same time, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. When the oil just begins to smoke, using tongs, place the thigh pieces into the pot and sear until golden brown on all sides. This should take 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the thighs with a slotted spoon to a large plate and set aside.
Step 3
Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and green chiles to the pot and sauté, scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir. After about 7 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and season with salt and pepper. This will cause the onions to release some of their liquid, which will make it easier to dislodge the browned chicken bits from the bottom of the pot as you stir. When the onions are lightly caramelized, deglaze the pot with the vinegar and continue to scrape the bottom of the pot.
Step 4
Return the chicken to the pot along with any juices that accumulated on the plate while it rested. Add the spice mix and stir together all the ingredients so the spices adhere to the chicken pieces. Now add the tomatoes, ketchup, and the bell peppers and mix well. Add just enough water to cover the top of the chicken, raise the heat to high, and stir constantly. When the mixture is about to boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 5
Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high to evaporate the excess water and to thicken. When the dish starts to thicken slightly and a light sheen of oil is visible on the surface, add the ghee. Move the chicken pieces to the sides of the pot, creating a well in the center. Mix the yogurt into the liquid in the well, then remove from the heat. The ghee and yogurt will enrich the sauce.
Step 6
While the jalfrezi is cooking, prepare the rice. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Rinse the rice until most of the starch is removed. We like to do this by rubbing the grains between our palms under cool running water. Drain the rice well, then place it in a heavy ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the water, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, saffron, and salt.
Step 7
Place the pot on the stove top over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the rice is boiling, cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil and then the lid and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the rice from the oven and let it sit, still covered, for another 10 minutes.
Step 8
To serve, transfer the jalfrezi to a warmed serving dish and garnish with the fresh coriander. Remove the lid and foil from the rice pot. The rice should be “standing,” very aromatic, and slightly orange from the saffron. Fluff the rice with a fork and drizzle the melted butter on top for an even richer, nuttier flavor. Garnish with the slivered almonds for a traditional finish. Serve the jalfrezi with the rice.
NOTE
Step 9
There are two ways to make Basmati rice. The quick and dirty way, aka boil and drain, or the traditional way. This is the traditional way.
