Bankura Kancha Lonka Murgi Green Chilli Chicken

Method

1. 1

   Heat mustard oil: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil until smoking. Reduce to medium.

2. 2

   Add panch phoron and bay leaves: Add panch phoron — all five seeds crackle. Add bay leaves.

3. 3

   Cook onion: Add chopped onion. Cook 10 minutes until golden.

4. 4

   Add ginger and garlic: Cook 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the green chilli: Add the slit green chilli. Cook stirring for 3 minutes — the green chilli softens and begins to infuse the oil with its heat.

6. 6

   Add turmeric and spice powders: Turn low. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Add chicken: Add chicken pieces. Stir vigorously to coat with the green chilli masala.

8. 8

   Add yogurt: Add beaten yogurt on low heat, stirring continuously. Cook 3 minutes until yogurt is absorbed.

9. 9

   Cook covered: Add salt. Cover and cook on medium-low heat 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. The green chilli gradually breaks down into the curry, creating a green-tinged sauce.

10. 10

    Serve: Scatter coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice or roti. The green chilli pieces in the curry are eaten — they have cooked down and lost some heat but retain their distinct flavour.

11. 11

    Note: Kancha Lonka (kancha = raw/green, lonka = chilli in Bengali) Murgi (chicken) is the spiced green chilli chicken of the Bishnupur-Bankura area in western Bengal. Bishnupur is known for its terracotta temples and distinctive regional cuisine that differs from Kolkata food. The use of fresh green chilli as the primary spice rather than dried red chilli produces a greener, fresher heat that is characteristic of the western Bengal cooking tradition.