How to make Authentic Bengali-Style Chicken Dak Bungalow Recipe – A Fusion of Flavours

Chicken Dak Bungalow recipe – Learn how to create an authentic Bengali-style Chicken Dak Bungalow, a delightful fusion of Anglo-Indian and Bengali culinary traditions in detail. This recipe explores the history, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions for making this flavorful chicken curry blending with Indian spices and British influences.

Chicken Dak Bungalow is known for Dak Bungalow’s chicken curry made with a blend of Indian spices, including turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili powder with potato and hard-boiled eggs. The addition of yogurt for marination adds a tangy and creamy element to the curry. To impart robust flavors and enticing aromas, a medley of Indian whole spices is also employed in this chicken curry. Additionally, ginger and garlic contributed to the dish’s aromatic profile.

In the British era, Chicken Dak Bungalow was often achieved through the inclusion of tamarind (rather than tomato or lemon juice). This tangy element not only enhanced the dish’s taste but also served a practical purpose by aiding in its preservation in the absence of refrigeration.

What is Chicken Dak Bungalow?

Chicken Dak Bungalow is a traditional Anglo-Indian chicken dish that originated during the British colonial era in India.

“Dak” pertains to “mail” or “postal,” while “Bungalow” denotes a type of house. These Dak Bungalows were established by the British as rest houses or lodges for postal officers, government officials, and travelers to take respite during their journeys.

Chicken Dak Bungalow is believed to have been created in these Dak Bungalows, where British officers and travelers would often request chicken dishes. Local cooks (or chefs) adapted their cooking techniques to suit the available ingredients, resulting in a unique fusion of Indian and British flavors.

These Dak Bungalows were often situated in remote areas with limited access to fresh ingredients. Consequently, the cooks at these rest houses had to exhibit resourcefulness and creativity with the ingredients available to them. This chicken gravy basically made with wild roosters as these days wild roosters are easily available around those Dak Bungalows. One more common ingredient was seedless red chili paste which makes a red rich gravy but not spicy.

Authentic Bengali-Style Chicken Dak Bungalow Recipe – A Fusion of Flavours

Recipe by Moumita PaulCourse: Lunch, Dinner, Main courseCuisine: Bengali, Indian, BangladeshiDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

55

minutes

Chicken dak bungalow is similar to our traditional Bengali chicken curry recipe cooked with potato (an extra addition of hard-boiled eggs) and simple yet flavourful Indian spices available at home. Serve with roti, steamed rice, Bengali fried rice, or Bengali biryani.

Ingredients for Bengali-Style Chicken Dak Bungalow

• For marination

• 600 g of bone-in chicken pieces

• 1/2 cup (US cup) of yogurt 

• 1/2 Lemon juice or 1 pureed tomato

• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon of red chili powder

• 3 tablespoons of mustard oil

• For making gravy

• 6 tbsp Mustard Oil

• Whole spices*

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons garlic paste

• 1 teaspoon ginger paste

• 2-3 green chilies paste

• 3/4 teaspoon of garam masala*

• Salt for the curry, to taste

• Other ingredients

• 4 Hard boiled eggs (slit)

• 3 Medium Potatoes (cut into half)

• *Whole spices

• 2 Bay leaves

• 8 black peppers

• 3 Dry red chillies

• 1 pc of Cinnamon

• *”Chicken Dak Bungalow special garam masala“

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 2 bay leaves

• 5 green cardamom

• 3 small pcs of cinnamon

• 6 cloves

• 1 Black cardamom

• 1/2 Mace (Javitri)
  
  Dry roast all the above spices and grind them to make this homemade garam masala powder.

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice or tomato puree, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder(adjust to taste), and mustard oil.
• Coat the chicken pieces (I used 6 pcs chicken legs) with the marinade, ensuring even coverage. 
• Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or refrigerate for enhanced flavor.
• Heat 6 tablespoons of mustard oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-high heat.
• Coat the potatoes (peeled and cut into halves) with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and fry until golden. Remove the potatoes from the pan and set aside.
• Coat the hard-boiled eggs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and fry until golden. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the whole spices (bay leaves, black peppers, Dry red chillies, and Cinnamon), let them splutter.
• Then add onion to the pan, and sauté until the onions become translucent.
• Sear the marinated chicken pieces until they achieve a golden brown color.
• Incorporate the ginger-garlic paste and green chilli paste with the chicken pieces. 
• Sauté well with the spice mixture until the raw aroma of spices dissipates.
• Add the potatoes to the pan, and stir well. 
• Mix 1/2 tsp garam masala powder (made at home) along with 1 tsp salt. Mix all well. 
• Cook for a few more minutes to blend the flavors into the gravy.
• Cook the gravy until the oil starts separating from the mixture.
• Add the eggs at this stage. Stir well.
• Pour in approximately 1.5 -2 cups (US cup) of water to achieve your preferred consistency and add 1/2 tsp salt to taste. Stir well. 
• Cover the pan and let the chicken simmer over low heat for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are tender and fully cooked.
• Garnish your Bengali-style Chicken Dak Bungalow with 1/4 tsp garam masala powder or with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot, accompanied by steamed rice or Bengali-style pulao for an authentic Bengali twist.

Notes

• If want to enjoy the tanginess of tamarind, must add a 3-4 tsp tamarind pulp after the chicken and potatoes are fully cooked. Then must add a little salt and sugar (as per taste) to balance the tangy twist.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Bengali-Style Chicken Dak Bungalow:

Marinating the Chicken:

• In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice or tomato puree, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder(adjust to taste), and mustard oil.
• Coat the chicken pieces (I used 6 pcs chicken legs) with the marinade, ensuring even coverage. 
• Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or refrigerate for enhanced flavor.

Preparing Potatoes and eggs:

• Heat 6 tablespoons of mustard oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-high heat.
• Coat the potatoes (peeled and cut into halves) with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and fry until golden. Remove the potatoes from the pan and set aside.
• Coat the hard-boiled eggs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and fry until golden. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside.

Cooking the chicken:

• In the same pan, add the whole spices (bay leaves, black peppers, Dry red chillies, and Cinnamon), let them splutter.
• Then add onion to the pan, and sauté until the onions become translucent.
• Sear the marinated chicken pieces until they achieve a golden brown color.

Preparing Chicken dak Bungalow Curry:

• Incorporate the ginger-garlic paste and green chilli paste with the chicken pieces. 
• Sauté well with the spice mixture until the raw aroma of spices dissipates.
• Add fried potatoes to the pan, and stir well. 
• Mix 1/2 tsp garam masala powder (made at home) along with 1 tsp salt. Mix all well. 
• Cook for a few more minutes to blend the flavors into the gravy.
• Cook the gravy until the oil starts separating from the mixture.
• Add fried boiled eggs at this stage. Stir well.

Simmering and Cooking:

• Pour in approximately 1.5 -2 cups (US cup) of water to achieve your preferred consistency and add 1/2 tsp salt to taste. Stir well. 

• Cover the pan and let the chicken simmer over low heat for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are tender and fully cooked.

Garnish and Serve:

• Garnish your Bengali-style Chicken Dak Bungalow with 1/4 tsp garam masala powder or with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot, accompanied by steamed rice or Bengali-style pulao for an authentic Bengali twist.

Indulge in the fusion of flavors in your homemade Bengali-style Chicken Dak Bungalow, and adjust the spice levels to suit your taste preferences. This authentic recipe captures the essence of Dak Bungalow chicken with a Bengali twist.

Except for this chicken curry if you are searching for a few more Indian and Bengali chicken curry recipes, check the list below –

Bengali Chicken Kosha

Bengali Chicken curry (mangsher Jhol)

Chicken Masala (north Indian style)

Check Bengali aka Indian mutton curry recipes too.