Bihari Murgh Jhor
thin, fiery home-style chicken curry cooked down in mustard oil with potatoes
Allergens in Bihari Murgh Jhor: mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 800g, bone-in, cut into curry pieces Chicken
- 5 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 3 medium, finely chopped Onion
- 10 cloves, crushed to a paste Garlic
- 2 tbsp, crushed to a paste Ginger
- 2 medium, chopped Tomato
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1.5 tsp Chilli Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1 pod, bruised Black Cardamom
- 3, slit Green Chilli
- to taste Salt
- 600 ml, hot Water
- 2 medium, halved Potatothe standard Bihari addition; leave out for a leaner curryoptional
- 3 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Rub the chicken with the turmeric, half the salt and 1 tbsp of the mustard oil then cover and refrigerate it 30 minutes.
- Have the hot water standing by. This curry is built by adding hot, never cold, water.
- Chop the onions fine rather than slicing; they need to melt into the gravy.
Method
- Heat the mustard oil until it smokes lightly, then take it off the flame for 30 seconds to settle.Smoking kills the pungency and leaves the nutty note you want.
- Fry the potato halves for 5 minutes until golden on the cut faces, then lift them out and set aside.
- Crackle the cumin seeds, bay leaves and black cardamom in the same oil for 30 seconds.
- Add the onion and fry on medium for 12 minutes until it is properly brown and pulling away from the pan.Undercooked onion is why home chicken curry tastes flat. Wait for the colour.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic pastes and fry 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
- Add the tomato, chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and cook 6 minutes until the tomato collapses and oil beads at the edge.
- Tip in the chicken and fry on high for 8 minutes, turning the pieces, until they are sealed and coated in dark masala.Do not add water at this stage. The chicken has to sear, not steam.
- Return the potatoes, pour in the hot water, add the green chillies and salt, and bring to a boil.
- Simmer uncovered for 18 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the gravy has reduced by about a third. It should stay thin and pourable.
- Stir in the garam masala, scatter the coriander leaves and rest 5 minutes before serving with rice or roti.
Safe temperatures: Chicken and duck are done at 74°C / 165°F, taken at the thickest part and clear of the bone. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat on the stovetop with a little hot water; it thickens overnight and needs loosening.
Nutrition Medium estimate
One serving of Bihari Murgh Jhor (594 g) is about 542 calories, or 92 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 48 g a serving, 35% of the calories
| Per serving594 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 542 kcal | 92 kcal |
| Protein | 47.7 g | 8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 32.3 g | 5 g |
| of which sugars | 6.5 g | 1 g |
| Fibre | 5.9 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 25.0 g | 4 g |
| of which saturated | 3.8 g | 1 g |
| of which unsaturated | 18.3 g | 3 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for garam masala. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Bihari recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.