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Kukura aru Bahgaj

Chicken with fresh bamboo shoot and crushed black pepper (jaluk) — clean, peppery and wonderfully Assamese.

Ingredients

• 750 g chicken, curry cut
• 200 g fresh bamboo shoot (bahgaj), thinly sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp black pepper (jaluk), coarsely crushed
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 5 green chillies, slit
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Boil the sliced bamboo shoot in plenty of water for 10 minutes and drain. This takes away the bitterness.
2. Heat mustard oil to smoking, lower the flame and fry the onions till golden.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté 2 minutes.
4. Add the chicken, turmeric and salt. Cook on high 8 minutes.
5. Add the bamboo shoot and green chillies, mix and cook covered 5 minutes.
6. Pour in 1½ cups hot water and simmer covered 20 minutes till tender.
7. Stir in the crushed black pepper, cook 2 minutes and serve.

Tip: Jaluk is the old Assamese heat — add it at the end so the pepper stays sharp and fragrant.