Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken


Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken was a very popular dish during Colonial times. In those days, the poultry used in its preparation were authentic well-fed, homegrown country chickens, which would take at least 2 hours to cook over a firewood oven, but the curry when done, would be rich and delicious. Legend has it, that this wonderful curry dish was first prepared by the grandmother of a British Army Captain especially for her favourite Grandson using her own home grown Country Fowls. Hence the name Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken

Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken
Serves 6 Preparation Time 30 minutes

1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces
3 large onions sliced finely
2 teaspoons chilly powder
1 teaspoon tumeric powder
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
2 tablespoons garlic paste
2 sticks cinnamon
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
6 or 8 whole pepper corns
1 Dry Red Chillie broken into bits
2 teaspoons chopped garlic

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions and chopped garlic lightly. Add the chicken and mix in the garlic paste. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chilly powder, tumeric powder, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, red chillie, pepper corns and salt. Add ½ cup of water and cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is quite thick.

Ps. This recipe can be adapted to meat as well. Left over Beef or Lamb Roast can be made into a delicious County Captain Fry or a cold meat curry if desired.

Chicken Jalfrazie

Jalfrazie is a sautéd dish, which can be prepared with meat, poultry, sea food etc.
The word “Jalfrazie” came from 2 words: “Jal” meaning “spicy or pungent” and “Frazie” meaning “Fried”. As in the case of almost all of our cuisine, which started out as insipid concoctions, in the days of the British Raj, the original “Jal Frezie” was bland and tasteless. The Colonial servants would fry up the leftover Christmas Turkey and Chicken Roasts with some pepper, chillies, etc., for Breakfast the next day. Over the years many more ingredients and spices were added to this dish to make it as spicy and delicious as it is today and it has become synonymous with the cuisine of West Bengal.
CHICKEN JALFRAZIE

Serves 6 Preparation Time 1 hour
Ingredients

1 kg Boneless Chicken cut into cubes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 dry red chillies broken into bits
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
3 tomatoes chopped
2 onions sliced finely
1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala powder
1 teaspoon peppercorns
3 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a suitable pan and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter add the dry red chillies, onions and pepper corns and fry till golden brown. Add the chicken and sauté for a few minutes till it changes colour. Now add all the other ingredients and stir well. Simmer on low heat till the chicken is tender and the gravy is quite thick. Serve with rice, chapattis or bread.

Anglo-Indian Meat and Vegetable Stew

Serves 6 Preparation Time approx 1 hour
Ingredients

1 kg Beef or Mutton / Lamb cut into cubes
2 tablespoons oil
2 onions sliced finely
1 Bay leaf
4 or 5 cloves
6 or 8 peppercorns
3 cardamoms
2 pieces cinnamon
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
2 teaspoons flour
2 tomatoes chopped or pureed
2 carrots peeled and cut into pieces
1 cup shelled green peas
2 potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup cauliflower florets
½ cup beans cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green chillies slit
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or suitable pan. Add all the whole spices and fry lightly. Add the onions and fry till golden brown. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and green chillies and fry for a few minutes. Add the tomato and fry till the oil separates. Now add the meat and stir fry for 5 more minutes. Next add the cut vegetables, salt and sufficient water and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Release the steam and open the pressure cooker. Now add the flour mixed with a little water and mix well. Simmer for a few more minutes. Serve hot with Rice or bread