Jhatpat Chicken (An Easy-breezy Bengali Chicken Curry)

For making chicken it doesn't have to be always an elaborate process. This recipe is very easy to prepare and very common to every bengali household for a regular day cooking. Just marinate chicken with all the spices and cook in a wide karahi(wok). This process brings out the real essence of chicken and also very healthy with less oil and less spices. Try it out. I've learnt this dish from my Mother-In-Law, who is a great cook and this is one of her best dish.

Ingredients :
Whole chicken : 700-800 gms.
Potato : 2 (medium)
Onion : 3 (medium)
Ginger-garlic paste : 3 tblsp.(tablespoon)
Tomato : 2 (medium)
Green Chilli : 2-3 nos.
Turmeric powder : 3 tsp.(teaspoon)
Coriander Powder : 3 tsp.
Red Chilli powder : 2-3 tsp.( as per taste)
Cardamom : 4 nos.
Cinnamon stick : 2 (1")
Cloves : 4 nos.
Bay leaves : 2
Salt to taste
White/canola/Mustard oil : 3 tblsp.

How To :

• Cut the potatoes in big chunks. Slice the onions into thin slices. Make a smooth paste of ginger and garlic and green chillies. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.
• Clean the whole chicken and cut into desired sized pieces. Place in a big bowl. Add sliced onion, ginger-garlic paste, salt and all powdered spices and 1 tblsp. oil. Mix all the ingredients with chicken using your hand squeezing onions and other ingredients, as much as possible for 2-3 minutes. Marinate it for at least 1/2 an hour or more for better result.
• Heat rest of the oil in a pan, fry the potato pieces until light brown with little salt and turmeric and set aside. In the same oil, put bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom & cloves. When you get the flavour, add marinated chicken and cook in medium flame stirring it occasionally for about 10-12 minutes.
• When oil seperates from the masala, add tomatoes, again stir for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes softens. Add the potatoes and mix well with the chicken. Now add about 1 cup hot water. Check the seasoning, add if needed, cover with a lid and let it cook in medium flame until chicken gets cooked.
• Take the pan out of flame when you have your desired gravy and serve hot with plain rice. Bengalis love this chicken curry with rice, but you can serve this with pulao or chapati or paratha, too. Then gravy should be thicker than this.

Sending this to my ongoing event, "Spotlight : Show your best creation", hosted this month
by My Co-host, Chandrani of Cuisine Delights. friends, please share your best recipes with us..This event will be up until May15th,'13.