Odia Chicken Curry
Chicken cooked in the Odia manner — mustard oil, whole spices, and a masala of fried onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, and ground spices including poppy seed paste for body and nutmeg for fragrance. The poppy seed (posto) paste is a shared trait with Bengali cooking but the panch phoron tempering and the proportion of mustard oil give the Odia chicken curry its distinct character. A common weekend preparation in Odia non-vegetarian households.
Cuisines
Odia
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Build a full meal around Odia Chicken Curry
Get a matched combo of sides and accents
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
|
500 grams | Chicken , cut into pieces |
|
2 tablespoons | Mustard oil |
|
2 | Onion , finely chopped |
|
1 tablespoon | Ginger-garlic paste |
|
2 | Tomato , chopped |
|
1 teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Coriander powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Cumin , powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Red chili powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Garam masala |
|
2 | Green Chili , slit |
|
1 | Bay Leaf |
|
1 inch | Cinnamon stick |
|
3 | Cardamom , green |
|
4 | Clove |
|
1 cup | Water |
|
— | Salt , to taste |
|
2 tablespoons | Cilantro , chopped |
Instructions
- 1 Heat mustard oil in a pan until it starts to smoke, then reduce the heat.
- 2 Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, and cloves to the oil and sauté for a few seconds.
- 3 Add chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown.
- 4 Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.
- 5 Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and oil starts to separate.
- 6 Mix in turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and red chili powder. Cook for a minute.
- 7 Add the chicken pieces and mix well to coat them with the spices.
- 8 Cook the chicken on medium heat until it turns white and starts to release its juices.
- 9 Pour in the water and add salt to taste. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- 10 Cover and simmer the curry on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- 11 Add garam masala and slit green chilies. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.
- 12 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
For an authentic taste, use mustard oil and let it reach the smoking point before cooking.