Chicken Rezala (Calcutta White)

About this recipe

Rezala is Calcutta on a plate—delicate, refined, quietly luxurious. Bone-in chicken pieces poached in hung yogurt and a paste of cashews and almonds create a sauce so silken it seems impossible it could taste so rich without a single drop of cream. This is the kind of dish that shows up at celebrations in Bengali homes, served with thin, warm parathas that you use to push every last spoonful of gravy into your mouth. The sauce is built on ground cashews and blanched almonds, which melt into the yogurt to create smoothness and richness. Fried onions stirred in at the finish add crunch and deepness—that's the subtle complexity that separates rezala from every other yogurt-based curry. The spices are whole and sparse: just green cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves, allowing the delicate flavours to shine. A touch of kewra water at the very end adds an almost floral note, traditional to Bengal. The critical point is the cooking method: never let the chicken brown. This stays pale, almost moonlight-white, the signature of proper rezala. You're poaching, not searing. Heat the ghee, drop in the whole spices, then add the marinated chicken with all its yogurt coating. Cover and cook on the gentlest heat for about 25 minutes—the chicken should be tender and the sauce should be clinging to the meat without any pooling liquid. If it looks dry, add a splash of warm water. The final touch is a swirl of ghee and kewra water, which perfume the whole dish with subtle warmth. Serve with roomali roti (paper-thin paratha) or thin parathas, alongside a simple salad. This is a dish that feels special every time you eat it, worthy of dinner parties and Sunday celebrations. Store in the fridge for three days; reheat gently on low heat.