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Durus kura
Braised whole wedding chicken
দুরুস কুরা (durus kura): Chittagong's whole wedding chicken braised in a deep, spiced gravy
In Chittagonian, durus means whole and kura means chicken, and at a traditional Chittagong wedding a whole bird cooked this way is sent to the groom's side as a mark of honour. The chicken is rubbed with spices, browned whole in hot oil and then braised slowly in a thick masala of onion, ginger, garlic, poppy seed and coconut, turned often until the gravy coats it like a lacquer. Hard-boiled eggs are sometimes nestled in alongside. It is carved at the table and served with polao or plain rice, and leftovers make an outstanding next-day lunch. Do not be tempted to skip the deep slashes; without them the spices sit on the skin and the inside tastes bland. Chef's tip: choose a small bird of about 1.2 kg, so it fits snugly in the pot and cooks through before the gravy burns.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ⅝ lb whole chicken, skinnedslashed deeply on breast and legs
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp saltdivided
- 1 tbsp lime juice
For the gravy
- 3 onionsfinely sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp white poppy seedssoaked and ground to a paste
- 4 tbsp fresh or frozen grated coconutground to a paste
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp mild red chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 cinnamon stick5 cm
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
- 4 green chilliesslit
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (optional)peeled
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅝ lb whole chicken, skinned inside and out, and into the slashes, with 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp lime juice. Tie the legs with string and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 2: Heat ½ cup mustard oil or neutral oil in a heavy pot just big enough for the chicken over a medium-high heat and brown the bird on all sides for 8–10 minutes, turning with two spoons. Lift out.
10 minStep 3: Add 2 bay leaves, 4 green cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick to the oil and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
2 minStep 4: Add 3 onions and fry for 10–12 minutes until deep golden brown.
12 minStep 5: Stir in 1 tbsp ginger paste and 1 tbsp garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes, then add 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp mild red chilli powder and the remaining 1 tsp salt with a splash of water.
3 minStep 6: Add 1 tbsp white poppy seeds and 4 tbsp fresh or frozen grated coconut and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the masala darkens and the oil separates.
5 minStep 7: Return the chicken, add 1 ¼ cups hot water, cover and braise over a low heat for 40–45 minutes, turning the bird every 10 minutes and spooning the gravy over it, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F and the juices run clear.
40 minStep 8: Uncover, add 4 green chillies, 4 hard-boiled eggs and 1 tsp garam masala, and cook for 6–8 minutes more, basting, until the gravy is thick and clings to the chicken.
8 minStep 9: Rest for 5 minutes, then carve at the table and serve with polao.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does durus kura take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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