Summary: A medium thin white gravy chicken recipe that is best served with roomali roti or biriyani

 
Introduction: Rezala is confined itself within the periphery of Kolkata. I have tried to find it out in rest of the North India but couldn’t get any one serving it. Whenever I travel to Kolkata, I try to make it a point to visit one of those legendary food joints who serves Rezala . This dish is just magical with its aroma, texture and taste and most probably was invented in the city itself by the Bawarchies who came along with the exiled Nawab of Lucknow. We collected this recipe from Kolkata and then perfected it to match the taste with our memory.
Chicken Rezala Recipe:
Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
Serves 4
Difficulty Level Medium
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
200 gms Yogurt or Curd
100 gms Fresh Cream
1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds or Khuskhus made to paste
1 Tablespoon Cashew nuts made to paste
1 Tablespoon White Peppercorn crushed
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoon Ghee
1 Tablespoon Ginger paste
1 Large Onion grated
8 whole Dried Red Chilli
2-3 Cloves
2-3 Green Cardamom
2 sticks of Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon (Kewra essence) substitute with Rose Water
Salt to taste of salt
2 cups of hot water
Instructions:
>Prepare a Marinade by mixing Yogurt, Cream, Cashew and Poppy seeds paste
>Add ginger paste, crushed white peppercorn, salt, sugar and half of Keora essence to it
>Now deep the chicken pieces to the marinade and rub well
>Keep this aside for at least one hour in room temperature
>Double the time of marinating if kept in refrigerator
>Now heat Ghee in a heavy bottom Wok or Kadai
>Add the whole Red chillies, cloves, green cardamom and cinnamon
>Add the grated Onions and fry till golden
>Now add the chicken pieces while shaking off the marinade
>Stir well and fry the chicken pieces for 5 minutes
>Now add the reserve marinade to it
>Add 2 cups of boiling water
>Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes 
>Remove the cover and check consistency
>It should be medium thin with fat drops from ghee separating at the side
>Check for seasoning and adjust the salt, sugar and pepper
>Add rest of the Kewra essence
>Transfer to individual serving bowl, place one dried Red Chilli with each serving
>Serve it hot along with Roomali Roti or Biriyani
Note: Please DO NOT use the Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder and Garlic or any other spices