Jalfrezi

also called jhal farezi · jal frezi · chicken jalfrezi · jalfrazi · jalfreezi

The table

2(one red, one green; cut in 1-in squares)bell peppersfry 3 min, until scorched in places and still crispfry in 2 mintoss back in, 2 min, and stop
1 medium(cut in eighths, layers separated)red onion
1 cup(240 g; the base recipe)onion-tomato masala
1 tspground cumin
1/2 tspground turmeric
1 tspgaram masala
1 1/2 lb(680 g; cut in strips)boneless chicken thighssear 5 min over the highest heat, then lift out
1 tspkosher salt
2 Tbs(30 mL)neutral oil
1 large(cut in eighths)tomato
2(slit lengthwise)green chiles
2 tsp(10 mL)white vinegar
3 Tbs(chopped)cilantro
This is the one line on the sauce list that is a stir-fry and not a simmer the vinegar at the end is why it tastes sharper than everything either side of it on the board. Jhal frezi is a Bengali name for frying up cold meat from the day before which is exactly what it is — the base does the work of a sauce in two minutes anything longer than that steams the peppers and loses the dish
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1fry 3 min, until scorched in places and still crisp

2sear 5 min over the highest heat, then lift out

3fry in 2 min

goes in with what step 1 made

4toss back in, 2 min, and stop

goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
7 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
12 minthe rest you can walk away from

It adds up to more hands-on time than the whole dish takes because two branches run at once — which needs someone free to run both. The recipe itself says 40 min.

  1. sear 5 min over the highest heat, then lift out

    5 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. fry 3 min, until scorched in places and still crisp

    3 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. fry in 2 min

    2 minneeds you3 min in

  4. toss back in, 2 min, and stop

    2 minneeds you5 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need wide pan

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Jalfrezi
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: chicken, indian, peppers, stir-fry, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: jhal farezi, jal frezi, chicken jalfrezi, jalfrazi, jalfreezi
>> pairs-with: onion-tomato-masala, pilau-rice, chapati
>> servings: 4
>> time: 40 min
>> step.1: sear 5 min over the highest heat, then lift out
>> step.2: fry 3 min, until scorched in places and still crisp
>> step.3: fry in 2 min
>> step.4: toss back in, 2 min, and stop

Sear @boneless chicken thighs{1 1/2%lb}(680 g; cut in strips) salted with @kosher salt{1%tsp} in @neutral oil{2%Tbs}(30 mL) in a #wide pan{} over the highest heat you have ~sear{5%min}, then lift the strips out.

Fry @bell peppers{2}(one red, one green; cut in 1-in squares) and @red onion{1%medium}(cut in eighths, layers separated) in the same pan ~fry{3%min}, until they are scorched in places and still squeak against a tooth.

Fry @onion-tomato masala{1%cup}(240 g; the base recipe), @ground cumin{1%tsp}, @ground turmeric{1/2%tsp} and @garam masala{1%tsp} into @&(~1)peppers{} ~fry{2%min}.

Toss @&(~3)seared chicken{} back into @&(~1)pan{} with @tomato{1%large}(cut in eighths), @green chiles{2}(slit lengthwise), @white vinegar{2%tsp}(10 mL) and @cilantro{3%Tbs}(chopped) ~fry{2%min}, and take it off while the peppers are still bright.

This is the one line on the sauce list that is a stir-fry and not a simmer, and the vinegar at the end is why it tastes sharper than everything either side of it on the board. Jhal frezi is a Bengali name for frying up cold meat from the day before, which is exactly what it is — the base does the work of a sauce in two minutes, and anything longer than that steams the peppers and loses the dish.