Chicken: Jalfrezi, Jalfreji, Jalfresi

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Margi Cintrano

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:chef: Buon Giorno, Ladies & Gentlemen,

For enthusiasts of curry and the piquant, this aromatic sensational dish is sure to please. Of course, it can be adjusted to your own palate and tolerance for piquantness. *** Photo to follow ...

CHICKEN JALFREZI or jalfreji or jalfresi ...

Regular olive oil
1 grated large onion
2 minced garlic cloves
750 grams of skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
3 Teaspoons cúrcuma powder
1 tsp. red cayenne piquant flakes or powder
1 1/2 tsps. salt
500g of ripe red juicy tomatoes
30g clarified butter or 2 tblsps. olive oil
3 tsps. cumin powder
3 tsps. coriander powder
2 tblsps. freshly grated peeled ginger
30g fresh cilantro chopped finely
salt and freshly ground rose, green & black peppercorns

1. heat 2 tblps.of oil in deep skillet and sauté the onion and then the garlic until tender.
2. add the chicken pieces of choice ( I only eat the breast meat ), cúrcuma, red cayenne chili pepper, and the salt. Stir and sauté 10 mins. until golden and then, turn over the chicken pieces and sauté until golden.
3. add the tomatoes ( coulis blended peeled and de-seeded ) and cover the skillet and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
4. then remove lid & continue simmering 10 mins. more for sauce to thicken.
5. then add the clarified butter or oil, the cumin, the coriander, the ginger and the fresh cilantro minced and simmer 7 minutes
6. salt and pepper to taste
7. serve with Basmati Rice and Naan or crusty hot bread of choice

+++ serve with Rosé Cava or dry Rosé wine of choice with a drizzle of lime ... Enjoy, Margaux Cintrano
 
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Kylie,

This is quite a subtlely sensational aromatic delight ... Our Gals and us, are confirmed Indian cuisine fans and as our Favourite Indian Cuisine, particularly southern Goa, Madras cuisines and Vindaloo ...

However, this is quite an elegant, relatively simple dish and with Basmati, it is loved by all our Expat Friends.

Have nice wkend,
Ciao.
Margaux.
 
i don't see any peppers in the recipe margi.one of the basic ingredients for a jalfrezi is peppers.sometimes green sometimes red or both.without the peppers what you have is a basic curry.also no indian or pakistani chef(both have their own version of jalfrezi) would use chilli flakes.green finger chillies would be used.
 
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Harry,

There is no red bell or green bell in this recipe, however, there is dry Red chili pepper, dried flakes in this recipe and I used: 1 dried red chili from Basilicata in this recipe.

Sorry, I do not know what a green finger chili is.

It is probably called something else in Spanish. I have not come across any Puglia Indian Markets. I brought the ingredients from Madrid.

One can add peppers as to their palate dictates.

This is a lovely recipe and had just the right touch of piquantness and was aromatic sensational and my daughter and grand daughter were enthralled.

Have nice Sunday.
Ciao, Margi.
 
Chicken jalfrezi is a wonderful dish and thats a great recipe Margi. I often leave some things out though according to taste, so the absence of peppers wouldnt bother me, my son is not a huge fan of bell peppers.

I also cheat sometimes (ssssh) with Chicken Jalfrezi - as Pataks do a wonderful concentrated paste and just a spoonful works wonders.

Thanks for posting.
 
Chicken jalfrezi is a wonderful dish and thats a great recipe Margi. I often leave some things out though according to taste, so the absence of peppers wouldnt bother me, my son is not a huge fan of bell peppers.

I also cheat sometimes (ssssh) with Chicken Jalfrezi - as Pataks do a wonderful concentrated paste and just a spoonful works wonders.

Thanks for posting.
they do indeed gq & a delight it is too.....it also has red & green peppers in it
i won't mention the cheat either;)!!
 
Gravy Queen: Thanks for your compliments

Gravy Queen,

Firstly, thanks for the compliment ... My daughter and I were quite pleased with the turn out, as I had never made it before ... An Indian restaurateur Shabani, in Madrid had given me the recipe, and I was anxious to give it a whirl. I shall enquire about this MAGIC INDIAN PASTE ! THANKS.

HARRY: the next time I prepare it in Madrid, in the autumn, I shall try it with red bell pepper & a green bell and employ fresh chili peppers from India, as there is a wonderful Indian wholesale and retail Market downtown. I shall advise on the difference.


Thanks again,
Have a lovely Sunday,
Ciao, Margi.
 
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Gravy Queen,

Firstly, thanks for the compliment ... My daughter and I were quite pleased with the turn out, as I had never made it before ... An Indian restaurateur Shabani, in Madrid had given me the recipe, and I was anxious to give it a whirl. I shall enquire about this MAGIC INDIAN PASTE ! THANKS.

HARRY: the next time I prepare it in Madrid, in the autumn, I shall try it with red bell pepper & a green bell and employ fresh chili peppers from India, as there is a wonderful Indian wholesale and retail Market downtown. I shall advise on the difference.


Thanks again,
Have a lovely Sunday,
Ciao, Margi.
the difference is that you will then have a jalfrezi not a basic "stock gravy" as employed in every indian restaurants "batch cooking",margi!!
 
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I just use vegetable oil - as Madhur Jaffrey suggests in place of ghee. - never cooked a curry with ghee ever. Curries still taste good.

Stop nitpicking Harry you old trout.
not nitpicking gq.is a lasagne without pasta a lasagne no,is lancashire hotpot with chicken lancashire hotpot? no is a samber without lentils & lemon a samber? no is jalfrezi without peppers jalfrezi? no
it is a fundamental part of the dish that differentiates a basic batch cook stock gravy from a jalfrezi
madhur jaffrey was,by her own admission(like delia) a good homely cook,not a chef,she adjusted dishes for european tastes.
 
Gravy Queen,

Good Evening and yes, I shall scan the photo of the dish on Tuesday. My daughter Naia left at 7am for Zürich, and had got up literally at 4am, to go with her to the Bari Airport ...

I am interested in the product you mention and we have a Food Land in Madrid, which is an Indian Wholesale and Retail Indian Market ...

*** What are Pataks Kashmiri ?

All my best,
Margi.
 
I'm surprised by all the positive comments for Patak's. Blecch! Patak's is the Indian equivalent of hamburger helper or Prego pasta sauce.

Do all of you really find fresh spices to be so much trouble? I cook Indian 2 or 3 times a month. Once you buy your spices, they last quite awhile and are cheaper and vastly better tasting than buying sauce that comes in a jar.
 
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