Chicken Rezala with Papaya
 
Prep time
Cook time
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Chicken Rezala with Papaya is a Mughlai dish, where the meat is marinated with papaya paste and slow cooked in a rich gravy with cashew cream and spices.
Author:
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For marinade:
  • Chicken: Around 800 gms
  • Green papaya paste: 2 cups
  • Cumin powder: 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder: 1 tsp
  • Chilli powder: 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
  • Ginger Garlic paste: 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
  • Salt: 1 tbsp
Other ingredients:
  • Butter: 1½ sticks or around 150 gms
  • Olive oil: 1 tbsp
  • Sugar: 1 tsp
  • Whole cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
  • Dried chilies: 2
  • Bay leaves: 2
  • Green cardoon pods: 3
  • Cloves: 3
  • Cinnamon: 1 inch stick
  • Chopped onions: 4 medium sized
  • Raisins: ¼ cup (optional)
  • Cream: ¾th cup
  • Cashew nuts paste: 2 tbsp
  • Cumin powder: 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder: ½ tsp
  • Chilli powder: 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
  • Sliced tomato: 1 (optional)
Method
  1. Cut the chicken into medium-sized pieces. Wash it clean and pat dry. Mix all the other ingredients of the marinade in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces to it and combine it well with all the ingredients so that the chicken is well-coated. Marinate it for at least 4 hours.
  2. After the marinating is complete, heat a pan and add olive oil and butter into the pan. When the oil and butter is heated, add sugar and allow it to become slightly brown. Now add the whole cumin seeds, dried chillies, bay leaves, green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
  3. Once the whole spices release their aroma, add the chopped onions. Stir the onions till they are golden brown. At this stage, add the marinated chicken and stir it gently.
  4. Meanwhile, in the marinated bowl, take the cream, cashew nut paste and add powdered cumin, coriander, and chilli powder and garam masala. Mix it well for a thick binding.
  5. Now add the cream mixture to the chicken and cover the pan. Let it cook well on low heat for 20 minutes.
  6. Now add a little boiling water and the raisins and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes or till the chicken becomes tender and you have a thick creamy gravy.
  7. Once the chicken is ready, you can garnish the dish with cream on top and tomato slices for decoration. Serve hot with naan bread or rice. I prefer plain steamed rice.
Recipe by The Saffron Platter at https://thesaffronplatter.com/1026-chicken-rezala-with-papaya.html