While I write this post in a quiet corner of my study, Kolkata is all dressed up for the first day of the four day long festival. In the morning, people usually are busy in offering pushpanjali, having prasad or marching towards the restaurants of their choice for lunch. Some are catching up on sleep from last night’s puja parikrama and getting refreshed for the evening. Some are even practicing for the cultural program at the parar pujo. But if you are like me, for whom this day is just like any other day then this post will make your day a little better! Today’s recipe is Kolkata’s popular chicken chaanp!
If you are following my last consecutive posts, you may have noticed by now that I have been sharing the recipes of the food that have been associated with Kolkata and mostly to the Bengalis over the years. So this Chicken Chaanp recipe has to follow after the famous Kolkata style Mutton Biriyani!
How is chicken chaanp paired with?
This is also a recipe from the Awadhi cuisine brought to Bengal by the Awadhs and Nawabs. Chicken Chaanp makes a great pair with the Mutton Biriyani and that way it is famous for but it is also great with soft rumali roti. The recipe seems to be a bit complicated with all the ingredients but it is actually simple. There is only two main steps to this recipe. Marinating the chicken with all the exotic spices and then slow cooking for a long time at low heat. Slow cooking or cooking in dum is a very prominent style of cooking in Awadhi cuisine.
Chicken Chaanp is a slow cooked chicken preparation with an aromatic thick gravy and oil floating on top. Goes great with Mutton Biriyni or Rumali Roti.
If you are away from all the hustle and bustle of the Puja and have some good amount of time to spare, you may try this recipe. While you stir the chicken, listen to Rabindra sangeet or the songs of Manna Dey and cherish the days you have left behind.
A very Happy Maha Saptami to all who are celebrating! Enjoy!
Tips:
For the garamasala, you may use the biriyani masala. If you are not fond of too strong flavor you may reduce the amount of rose and kewra water but do not skip. That gives the authentic Awadhi flavor. You may increase the amount of ghee or cook in ghee altogether. Stir occasionally while cooking and keep a close eye. The addition of khoya is optional. It definitely makes the dish more rich and tasty.
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HOW TO COOK KOLKATA STYLE CHICKEN CHAANP
- YIELD: 2 Servings
- PREP: 15 mins
- COOK: 45 mins
- READY IN: 3 hrs 0 min
Chicken Chaanp is a slow cooked chicken preparation with an aromatic thick gravy and oil floating on top. Goes great with Mutton Biriyni or Rumali Roti.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium chicken leg quarters
- 2 tablespoons garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2-3 tablspoons hung / thick curd or yogurt
- 2 tablespoons charmagaz or melon seeds
- 2 tablespoons posto /khuskhus
- 8-10 pieces raw cashews soaked in warm water
- 2-3 tablepsoons grated mawa/khoya optional
- 1-2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons sattu/roasted gramflour
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala powder see tips
- 1 pinch strands of saffron soaked in warm water
- 2 teaspoons rose water
- 1 teaspoon kewra water
- 1-2 drops meetha atar optional
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 4 tablespoons oil
INSTRUCTIONS
-
- Wash and pat dry the chicken quarters. Make a fine paste of cashews, charmagaz and posto with some water. In a big bowl add the ginger-garlic paste, thick curd/yogurt,cashew-charmagaz-posto paste,salt,turmeric,kashmiri chili powder,garam masala powder, saffron soaked in water, grated mawa/khoya if using,sattu,rose and kewra water and 2 tablespoons of ghee. Mix well and marinade the chicken pieces for atleast 2 hours to overnight.
- When the chicken is well marinated, heat a wide and shallow heavy bottom pan at medium heat. Heat the remaining ghee and oil until smoking, and transfer only the chicken pieces. Cook at medium high for 2-3 minutes in each side. Lower the flame to medium and add all the masala mix from the marinade. Stir occasionally and cook until the raw smell from the masala is no more and the oil is separated from the gravy. This will take around 30-35 miuntes at low heat. You may add little warm water in between so that the masala does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Do not cover while cooking. By this time the chicken should be cooked. Taste for seasoning. Add few drops of meetha atar if using.
- Transfer the chicken pieces with the gravy to a serving dish. Serve with Rumali roti and salad or as a side with Mutton Biriyani. Enjoy!
Tomar pujo to jome uthche..ki lobh lagche…amii bhebechilam korbo..kintu oi mitha ator pelamna..
Thank You 🙂
it looks just superb.. I am gonna try it out very soon..
thank you very much for sharing this easy version of Chicken Chaanp.. 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by. Please try the recipe and let me know how it turned out. 🙂