Deshi Murgir Mangsho: Making Organic/ Country Chicken Curry

Of Country Chickens and Long Evenings at a Stranger’s Home

I woke up that morning in Malbajar, Dooars, filled with trepidation. The parents were leaving for Murti, and I had to return to Kolkata for a friend’s wedding (I am looking at you SB!), and my flight was the next day. So, my parents left me at H Kaku’s place, who kept on telling me stories of his successful son who was settled in a foreign land, and how he had managed to get married to this perfectly beautiful woman, who had the waist that could be spanned with his bare hands. Of course, this was said with a baleful look at me.

desi chicken curry
desi chicken curry

His wife was another story altogether. Quiet, with an aura that can only be called bristling, she wasn’t too happy to see a young girl lazing on her easy chair, her feet dangling from one long armrest, lost in a book. After watching me read, immobile mostly, for the better part of three hours, she unceremoniously dragged my reluctant self into the kitchen, and there we sat, legs akimbo, peeling vegetables to be cooked into a ghonto for dinner. She then proceeded to clean a chicken, and while I chopped onions and potatoes, she plucked fresh red chillies from her kitchen garden, that she pasted together with a bit of the onions, garlic and ginger on a stone sil, and then proceeded to coat the chicken with it. The result was fantastic, despite her almost stony silence throughout the entire process except clipped orders. She put a whole head of garlic in the boiling pot of meat while cooking, and after we (Me and H kaku) had finished our dinner, she sat down with a large plate of rice, and then proceeded to methodically mash a fat pod of softened garlic into her rice, adding a bit of the gravy to ensure the consistency was right, and ate it with such unholy delight etched all over her square face that I wanted to sit down for another round of rice and chicken.

Country Chicken Curry
Country Chicken Curry

Over the years, I made that chicken recipe with some modifications, but yes, the one constant was that garlic. No matter what, it would be the star of this particular show, and I would have a small, petty fight with ma to get to it first. The thing is, I know I can put in an extra pod of garlic, but getting to it first actually is a matter of pride, quick thinking, and creating strategies, that forms a major chunk of the experience.

For my favourite country chicken curry recipe, I would also recommend using country chicken, also known as desi or organic chicken. The one I used was from a farm in Baruipur, and therefore, I found, to my eternal happiness, the head of the chicken – a rare treat that’s becoming increasingly sparse in urban households.

The Basic Recipe for Country Chicken Curry

Marinate 1 kilo chicken, chopped into small pieces (about 20 pieces in 1 kilo) in 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon green/red chilli paste, 50 gm. plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, and salt to taste for 1 hour at room temperature.

marinating country chicken
marinating country chicken

While the chicken marinates, heat 75 ml (5 tablespoons) mustard oil, and fry 1 bay leaf and 5 dry red chillies in it. This is optional, but I like it. Remove the spices from heat, and add 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half. Fry till the potatoes are golden on all sides. Remove them from the oil and then add 150 gm. chopped onions. Stir fry the onions till they are golden brown and mostly crisp. Make a paste of this with a bit of water.

frying onions
frying onions

Heat the leftover oil from the frying onions, and to the hot oil, add the chicken. Fry over high heat till the meat is seared on all sides, about 10-11 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes to ensure even searing. Once the meat is fully seared, add the onions, pasted, and a teaspoon of sugar. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring every 30-40 seconds.

desi chicken curry
desi chicken curry

Add the bay leaf and chillies, stir to combine. Then, this is the point where you also add your whole garlic pod, thoroughly cleaned, fried potatoes, 4-5 whole green chillies, and 1 cup hot water. Hot water ensures that the temperature of the meat doesn’t fall too much, and the resultant gravy is not too watery, and the meat cooks evenly. Cover the pan tightly and cook till the chicken is done, about 30-35 minutes, or until the meat is tender/done as per your liking. Adjust salt at the very end, and serve this country chicken curry hot with some freshly cooked rice.

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9 Responses

  1. Love the way you wrote this. I had never heard of Desi/Country chicken before but it looks like a delicious curry.

  2. Mouth watering recipe. It looks so delicious that feel like trying is right away! And the best part is that this does not have any complicated ingredients or preparation steps!

  3. I’ve never had curry but I’ve smelled it walking by restaurants that make dishes with it and it smells pretty good.

  4. Curry has always seemed intimidating to me! This recipe and careful step by step makes it seem attainable! This looks delicious!

  5. I love a lot of garlic in my recipes! This chicken curry sounds absolutely fantastic. Are the “country chickens” different breeds than the standard sold in the cities, like “heritage breeds” are here in the US, or are they just different because of how they’re raised?

  6. Opurbo rong hoyechhe. And I love chicken heads and the comma shaped tiny brains. My father always asks the shopkeeper to throw in one when he buys chicken.

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About Me

Hi, I’m Panushwari

Welcome to my blog which is mostly about Food, Travel, Lifestyle and Beauty. I generally review restaurants and hotels in Kolkata and my work as a Restaurant Consultant and Food Critic in Kolkata allows me to maintain this blog as a showcase of my work. I am also a published author and have been a panelist at many events.

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