Chicken Kosha is a very common preparation in bengali households. I often include the item in my Sunday lunch menu or while serving guests in our house. This is a spicy and dry curry of chicken in contrary to my earlier post ‘Murgir Jhol‘ which is a light dish of chicken with runny gravy. The most suitable accompaniment of this dish is ‘mishti pulao‘ or ‘fried rice‘. One can also serve it with roti, paratha or luchi.

Ingredients to serve 4-5 :

1. Chicken with bone – 1 kg. (medium size pieces)
2. Curd – 100 gm.
3. Potato – 4-5 (medium sizes) (optional)
4. Onion – 4-5 (medium sizes)
5. Garlic – 7-8 cloves
6. Ginger – 1½ inch piece
7. Green chili – 2-3
8. Whole Garam masala (2″ cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves)
9. Bay leaf – 2
10. Dry red chili – 2-3
11. Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
12. Red chili powder – 1½ teaspoon
13. Garam masala powder – ¾ teaspoon
14. Salt to taste
15. Mustard oil – ¾ cup (the cup measures 150 ml. of water)

Procedure :

Clean the chicken pieces and then marinate with salt, ¾ teaspoon of turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, curd and 4-5 tbspoon of mustard oil for minimum 2 hours.

Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into halves.

Cut the onion into thin slices.

Peel the garlic cloves and grind them finely (like a paste) in a mortar and pestle.

Peel the ginger and make a fine paste out of it or grate it finely with the help of of a grater.

Now heat the remaining oil in a large kadai over medium flame. Fry the potatoes till they are half done. Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder (remaining ¼ teaspoon) while frying the potatoes. Remove them from oil and keep aside.

Now add whole garam masala, bay leaf and dry red chilies into the remaining hot oil in the kadai. Saute for a while till nice aroma of whole spices comes out from the oil.

Then add garlic paste into the oil, fry till garlic turns light brown.

Then add chopped onion and fry till it turns golden brown. Sprinkle little amount of salt while frying the onion.

Now add marinated chicken, give it a good stir. Cover the kadai with a lid and cook the chicken on medium flame till oil separates from the mixture. Stir occasionally to that the chicken doesn’t burn from the bottom.

Then add fried potato and mix them well with the chicken.

After that dd 2 cups of hot water and let it comes to boil.

Then check for salt and add if it is needed.

Again cover the pan with a lid and let it cook over low-medium flame.

Put the gas off as the chicken becomes tender and gravy thickens to your desire consistency. “Chicken Kasha” must not have a runny gravy. It is a bit dry curry.

Give it a standing time of 5-6 minutes before serving.