Jalfrezi is a classic British Indian restaurant dish and is prepared by adding precooked meat to a curry sauce. This recipe uses chicken, but you could use other meats such as lamb. Other popular versions use prawns or vegetables. You could also use extra firm tofu or chickpeas. It is very versatile. Serve with rice or chapattis.
Serves 4
For the marinade
1 tbsp cooking oil
700g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
pinch of salt
2 tsp Go Spice Jammu spice blend
For the pan
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
small handful fresh coriander stalks, chopped (reserving the leaves)
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges per tomato
8 green finger chillies, tops removed
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
6 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp Go Spice Jammu curry blend
400 ml water
Tarka garnish (optional)
1-2 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and cover. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Heat 1 tbsp of the cooking oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove to a plate.
Add the remaining oil to the pan, then the onion and bell pepper, and fry for 5 minutes on a medium heat, stirring regularly. Add the Jammu curry blend and stir fry for about 30 seconds, adding a little of the water, as required.
Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly. Add the green chillies, coriander stalks and the tomato puree with the water.
Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the tomato quarters and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally. Taste and add more salt if required.
If you opt to make the tarka, for extra flavour, heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spices and fry until they splutter. Pour them over the curry and then sprinkle the coriander leaves on top to finish.
