HOME MADE SALTED BEEF


 Salted Beef is usually prepared from a cut of beef,  from the round section and is soaked in brine solution for a period of time.In addition to Brine and Saltpetre, a little sugar is also added to the Brine solution. The sugar, prevents the meat from becoming hard while soaking in the brine solution. 
Before using the prepared Salted Beef, you may need to soak it in water because the brine solution may be particularly salty.
(If Salt Petre is not available, it can be substituted with either lime salt or black salt)

 Ingredients

1 chunk of Beef from the “Round” portion weighing about 3 kgs
1 teaspoon saltpetre or lime salt
8 tablespoons table salt or powdered salt
3 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar

Wash the beef well. Mix the saltpeter (black salt  / lime salt), table salt, sugar and vinegar together. Rub this mixture on the Meat and prick all over with a fork. Keep in the fridge for 4 or 5 days turning it over and rubbing it well several times a day. On the 6th day boil in a suitable vessel with all the residue and a little water for one hour or pressure cook for 45 minutes on low heat. Cool and store along with the residue and use whenever required.

CHICHEN 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 JAL FREZIE
Serves 6           Preparation Time 1 hour
Ingredients

1 kg Chicken cut into small pieces
2 tomatoes chopped finely
2 onions sliced finely
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons chillie powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
3 tablespoons oil or ghee
3 slit green chillies or 1 capsicum / green pepper cut into slices
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Marinate the chicken with the turmeric powder, chillie powder and salt for about half an hour.
Heat oil in a suitable pan and add the onions and chopped garlic and ginger 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.