Robibarer Murgir Jhol from my Mother’s Kitchen | Bengali Chicken Curry

Sunday's Chicken Curry, also known as Robibarer Murgir Jhol, is a delightful and refreshing Bengali-style dish. The reason I mention Sunday is that there is a unique story behind it, which I will share with you shortly.

All about comfort food and happy cooking

I'm not an expert in cooking, but I'm always eager to learn from different people, their cooking methods, and the dishes they prepare. I also find inspiration from various books. My journey in the kitchen began by observing my mother's cooking. In Kolkata, we had a large extended family of over 20 members, and my mom and aunts would cook for everyone. They knew the art of creating delicious meals even with limited ingredients. I still recall them making a flavorful chicken curry with just 1 kilogram of chicken, using potatoes to balance the portions so that everyone could enjoy a piece.

My First Expert!

My mother has been a significant influence in my life, not just when it comes to cooking, but in all aspects. She has taught me how to find joy in life, how to manage resources in both scarcity and abundance, and most importantly, how to be happy. This post holds a special place in my heart because it's not just about the famous Bengali Chicken Curry, also known as "Murgir Jhol," or Gorgore Laal Murgir Jho.

My mother's culinary abilities are truly remarkable. Despite her preference for mutton, she never fails to impress with her chicken dishes. It's astonishing how she manages to cook without even tasting the curry, but I suppose that's just the magic of motherhood. Her experience of over 30 years in the kitchen is what makes her my ultimate first expert.

Bengali Murgir Jhol Video Recipe

Why the name Robibarer Murgir Jhol for Bengali Chicken Curry?

Now, you might be wondering why I've named this dish "Robibarer Murgir Jhol," which translates to "Sunday Chicken Curry." Well, it's quite simple, really. My husband is a huge fan of my mom's cooking, particularly her Bengali-style mutton curry. I've already shared the recipe for the mutton version, known as "Kochi Pathar Jhol," which is equally delicious. However, on Sundays, I have no choice but to cook either chicken or mutton since both my husband and baby crave a hearty meat curry with potatoes.

Bengali Murgir Jhol - Recipe variation

With just a few minor adjustments, I've adopted this Murgir Jhol recipe from my mother. Murgir Jhol is a popular Chicken Curry in Bengali households, known for its thin, red gravy and tender potatoes. In our culture, we Bongs have a special fondness for potatoes, even more so than meat. This particular jhol is a comforting dish that we savor on lazy Sundays.

Unlike other Indian Chicken dishes, Murgir Jhol is not overly spicy. However, its vibrant red gravy may deceive you into thinking otherwise. It's a feast for the eyes, but not a fiery one for the taste buds.

Recipe Tips

When it comes to this dish, using Deshi Chicken instead of broiler chicken really enhances the flavor. However, I usually stick to regular chicken. Now, let's talk about my mother's advice on Murgir Jhol. She always said it's better to cook a larger amount of chicken, around 750g - 1 kg, to get the best taste instead of smaller portions. It's surprising, right?

On the other hand, my mother doesn't use Kashmiri Red Chilli in her cooking, but I personally like to use it because it's not as spicy as regular Chilli powder and adds a beautiful color to the gravy. Unfortunately, I don't have a Dekchi in my kitchen, so I use my Futura utensil to cook Murgir Jhol.

Utensils needed to cook Bengali Murgir Jhol

I never saw my mother use a pressure cooker or Karhai to make Chicken Curry; she always used a traditional deep-bottomed pan called "Dekchi" in Bengali for cooking chicken.

Here's how I make Bengali Chicken Curry

Recipe Card

Robibarer Murgir Jhol from my Mother's Kitchen!

Murgir Jhol, a popular dish in Bengali households, is a delightful Chicken Curry featuring a vibrant red gravy and the addition of potatoes.

5 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: Bengali

Keyword: Bengali Chicken Curry Recipe, bengali murgir jhol recipe, Debjanir Rannaghar, murgir jhol recipe, murgir laal jhol recipe

Prep Time: 8 hours hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 8 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 People

Calories: 513kcal

Author: Debjani Chatterjee Alam

Cost: Rs 250

Ingredients

• 1 kg Chicken 12-14 Pieces- curry -cut
• 4 Potato each cut into 4 pieces
• 200 g Plain Curd/ Yogurt
• 5 Onion roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
• 3 tablespoon Tomato Puree
• ½ teaspoon Cumin Seed
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala Powder
• 2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 2 Dry Red Chilli
• 5 Green cardamom
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Green Chilies
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1.5 teaspoon Salt or to Taste
• 4 tablespoon Mustard Oil

Get ingredients with

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Prep Work

• Thoroughly wash the chicken pieces and gently pat them dry.
• For a minimum of 3-4 hours or overnight, marinate the chicken with half of the ginger paste, garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, a pinch of salt, yogurt, and one tablespoon of mustard oil.

Cooking

• In a deep pan, heat three tablespoons of mustard oil.
• Sprinkle ¼ Tsp. each of  turmeric powder and salt on the potatoes and fry them until they turn a delightful golden brown. Set them aside once they are fried.
• Temper the remaining oil with bay leaf, dry red chilies, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds.
• Caramelize the sugar in the oil by cooking it.
• Fry the sliced onions until they become translucent, as this step is crucial for achieving a richly colored gravy.
• Next, add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and fry it on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Then, add the pureed tomatoes and fry for an additional 5 minutes.
• In low heat, fry the remaining cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt for 4-5 minutes (you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water intermittently).
• Combine fried potatoes with water and mix thoroughly, allowing them to cook for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring about 1 liter of water to a boil in a separate pot. Pour the boiling water into the chicken mixture.
• Enhance the gravy by adding whole green and red chilies, which will infuse it with a delightful flavor. Take a spoonful of the gravy to taste and adjust the spices as needed.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let the chicken simmer on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until it becomes tender.
• Stir in the garam masala powder to give the curry a final touch.
• Turn off the heat and let the Murgir Jhol sit for 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion

• Serve the hot Murgir Jhol with steamed rice.

Video

Notes

Substitution

• Mustard Oil is an essential ingredient for a complete Murgir Jhol. No other type of Oil can replicate the unique flavor it adds.
• Kashmiri Red Powder enhances the curry with its vibrant red color.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of salt and chili powder according to your personal taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 150g | Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.8g | Protein: 56.3g | Fat: 16.3g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 642mg | Fiber: 5.1g | Sugar: 7.7g

Similar Recipes of Light Bengali Curries

Chicken Recipes

• Restaurant-style Butter Chicken | Murgh Makhani | Chicken Makhani
• Chicken Keema Paratha
• Chicken Kosha | Bengali Kosha Murgir Mangsho
• Chicken Liver Pâté Recipe
• Instant Chicken Pulao Recipe | Chicken Pulao in Pressure Cooker
• Dhaba Style Chicken Curry
• Panch Phoron Murgi | Bengali Chicken Curry with Panch Phoron
• Murgi Khichuri | Chicken Khichuri
• Orange and Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables | Roast Chicken
• Aam Kasundi Murgi aka Bengali Style Chicken in Mango Mustard Sauce

Let's connect!

Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.

Murgir Laal Jhol Recipe Pin for your Pinterest board?

About Debjani Chatterjee Alam

I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.

Learn more about me →