Jalfrezi

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Jalfrezi
Chicken Jalfrezi (2103956162).jpg
Chicken jalfrezi
Alternative namesJhal frezi
TypeCurry
CourseMain
Place of originSouth Asia
Region or stateIndian subcontinent
Associated national cuisineBangladeshi, India, Pakistan
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsGreen chillies; meat, seafood, vegetables or paneer

Jalfrezi (Bengali: জলফ্রেজি; also jhal frezi, jaffrazi, and many other alternative spellings) is a curry dish originating in Bengal and popular throughout the Indian subcontinent and beyond. It consists of a main ingredient such as meat, fish, paneer or vegetables, stir-fried and served in a thick spicy sauce that includes green chilli peppers. Common further ingredients include bell peppers, onions and tomatoes.

History of the dish[edit | edit source]

Jalfrezi recipes appeared in cookbooks of British India as a way of using up leftovers by frying them with chilli and onion.[1] This English-language usage derived from the colloquial Bengali term jhāl porhezī: jhāl means spicy food; porhezī means suitable for a diet.[2][3] Jalfrezi is usually prepared by stir-frying ingredients, a technique introduced to the region by Chinese cuisine.

Popularity[edit | edit source]

In a survey in 2011, jalfrezi was rated the most popular dish in UK Indian and broader South Asian restaurants.[4][5]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Collingham, Lizzie (2006). Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-19-988381-3.
  2. "jalfrezi". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. Template:OEDsub
  3. প - পৃষ্ঠা ১৩. Accessible Dictionary Government Bangladesh (in Bengali).
  4. "Tikka masala out, jalfrezi is UK's No. 1 dish". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  5. Hall, Hames (21 July 2011). "Move over masala, jalfrezi is now our favourite curry". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2018.