“This showstopper of a dish originates from the Chittagong district, and is traditionally served to welcome a new groom into the bride’s family. Mellow, lightly spiced and creamy, the skinless chicken is melt-in-your-mouth and flavoursome throughout thanks to slow cooking and bhagar or tempering of golden fried onions.”

SERVES 6

1 whole chicken (about 1.7 kg), skinned

500 ml (2 cups) water

150 ml (⅔ cup) vegetable oil

2 small onions, finely sliced

150 ml (⅔ cup) full-fat milk

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

For the dry spice mix

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp cloves

¼ tsp black peppercorns

¼ tsp panch phoron (Bengali five-spice)

For the wet spice mix

1 small onion

4 large garlic cloves

5 cm piece of fresh root ginger

4–6 green chillies

2 teaspoons salt

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

To make the dry spice mix, toast the ingredients in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool briefly, then place into a spice grinder or use a pestle and mortar to grind to a fine blend. 

To make the wet spice mix, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or chopper and blend. 

In a bowl, mix together the wet and dry spice mixtures until combined. Place the chicken in a large, deep bowl and use a small skewer to prick holes all over it, then tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Rub the spice mixture onto the chicken, evenly coating it and using up all of the mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1–2 hours. 

When you’re ready to begin cooking, take a large, deep pot that will hold the chicken snugly and place the marinated chicken breast-side down, inside the pot. Pour the measured water around the sides of the chicken. Cover with a lid and cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes, checking after 20 minutes to ensure the chicken isn’t sticking to the bottom. 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Fry the onions for 12–15 minutes, until deep golden. Take the pan off the heat and remove half of the fried onions using a slotted spoon. Spread out on a plate lined with paper towels. 

Using tongs or skewers, carefully turn the bird so that it’s breast-side up. Cover and reduce the heat to low–medium. Cook for 40 minutes. Take the chicken off the heat and cool for 5 minutes. In a jug, mix together the yoghurt and milk, then very slowly pour into the pot, to ensure the mixture doesn’t curdle. Return the pot to the stove over a very low heat. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes, basting the chicken with the gravy every now and then. 

Place the pan with the fried onions, over a high heat. When hot, after 1–2 minutes, pour the onions on top of the chicken, then cover and simmer for a final 10 minutes. You can check if the chicken is done by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; it should be at least 70°C.  

To serve, place the chicken on a serving dish, then spoon over the gravy. Sprinkle with the reserved fried onions and enjoy.

This is an edited extract from Made in Bangladesh by Dina Begum, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally, RRP $60.00 NZD. Photography by Haarala Hamilton and Habibul Haque.

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