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Dakbungalow Chicken Curry

Dakbungalow Chicken Curry is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe for a classic fairly mild curry of chicken marinated in spiced yoghurt finished with boiled eggs and fried potatoes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Dakbungalow Chicken Curry.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

40 minutes

Total Time:

60 minutes

Serves:

2

Rating:

Tags : CurrySpice RecipesMutton RecipesMilk RecipesFusion RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a recipe that grew out of the mechanism of British rule in India. In the 1840s, before the advent of Indian railways, the administrators of the Raj still had to travel across and around the vast subcontinent. So, a network of rest stops sprang up around the most commonly traversed routes. These were based on Mughal serai. Thus sprang up dakbungalows and circuit houses.

The dakbungalows were basic and Spartan, offering a bed and a bath. If you were lucky, khansama would be present to cook a hearty meal for the evening. These evening meals became known as Dakbungalow cuisine. Unfortunately many of these classic Ango-Indian dishes were never recorded and they have been consigned to the dust of history. However, a few have made their way to us today. It was only when a weary traveller, particularly delighted by a meal jotted down notes on its presentation, or a memsahib jotted down how to prepare a dish so the khansama of the next dakbungalow could prepare it for her husband. The khansama was also sometimes known as dak bangla, hence the alternate name of this recipe, chicken dak bangla curry.
Also known as Mutton Dak Bangla this is a classic curry from the days of the Raj.

Ingredients:

1 kg. Chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces
4 Potatoes, peeled and halved (quarter if large)
4 green chillies, chopped
6 hard-boiled eggs
3 Onions, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1 tbsp Garlic Paste

For the Marinade:
100g Curds (or thick yoghurt)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Mustard Oil

For the Tempering:
2 Bay leaves
3cm Cinnamon stick
3 Cardamom pods
2 dried red chillies

For the Spices:
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp dakbungalow curry powder
½ tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
4 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method:

Combine the curd (or yoghurt) with ½ tsp of the turmeric powder and all the Cumin Powder Coriander Powder, Chilli Powder and Sugar. Season with and Salt to taste then stir in the mustard oil. Add the chicken and rub the marinade all over the pieces.

Place a wok or large pan over medium heat. When hot add in the oil. In the meantime, sprinkle the remaining turmeric powder over the eggs and potatoes and season with a little salt. Add in tempering ingredients and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

At this point add the eggs and fry for a few minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Now add the potatoes and fry these until nicely browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Add the chopped onion to the oil remaining in the pan and cook for about 7 minutes until golden brown all over. Stir in the ginger and garlic pastes, stir-frying for about 90 seconds until the raw aroma has dissipated.
Stir in the turmeric powder, dakbungalow curry powder and sugar. Season to taste with salt then add the green chilli pieces. Reduce the heat and stir well to combine.

Now add in the marinated chicken and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes. Add in the fried potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes more.

At this point stir in 500ml (2 cups) boiling water. Bring everything to a boil and add in the reserved boiled eggs.

Cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.

Serve hot with steamed rice.