Jalfrezi
Chicken jalfrezi | |
| Alternative names | Jhal frezi |
|---|---|
| Type | Curry |
| Course | Main |
| Region or state | South Asia |
| Associated cuisine | Anglo-Indian cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Green chillies; meat, seafood, vegetables or paneer |
Jalfrezi (/dʒælˈfreɪzi/; Bengali: ঝালফ্রেজী; also jhal frezi, jaffrazi, and many other alternative spellings) is a stir-fried curry dish popular throughout South Asia. 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.[1]
History
Jalfrezi recipes appeared in Anglo-Indian cookbooks during the British Raj as a way of using up cold meat leftovers by frying them with chilli and onion to make a curry. This ignored the fact that eating leftovers was taboo to many Hindus.[2] One story is that it was the invention of Marcus Sandys, governor of Bengal.[3] The English-language usage is derived from colloquial Bengali jhāl porhezī: jhāl means spicy hot; porhezī means suitable for an abstinent diet.[4][5]
The stir-frying technique used for making Jalfrezi was introduced to British India from Chinese cuisine as Chinese labourers migrated to Assam to work in the tea plantations during the 1830s.[6] This meant it was much quicker to make than traditional curries.[3] In Indian restaurants in Britain in the 20th century, "jalfrezi" could mean a standardised curry sauce with a little extra curry powder and food colouring.[2]
Dish
Jalfrezi is made with green chili peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Vegetables or meat are then stir-fried into the mix.[7] In a survey in 2011, jalfrezi was rated the most popular dish in UK Indian and broader South Asian restaurants.[8][9]
References
- ^ Jacob, Jeanne; Ashkenazi, Michael (2014). The World Cookbook: The Greatest Recipes from Around the Globe (2nd [4 volumes] ed.). ABC-Clio. p. 99. ISBN 978-1610694698.
- ^ a b Collingham, Lizzie (2006). Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 138, 225. ISBN 978-0-19-988381-3.
- ^ a b Pushkarna, Kritika (18 February 2021). "The story of Chicken Jalfrezi". Times Food. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
- ^ "jalfrezi". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ প - পৃষ্ঠা ১৩. Accessible Dictionary Government Bangladesh (in Bengali).
- ^ "The History of Indo-Chinese Cuisine – How Two Cultures Created a Culinary Sensation". Itihaas. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ Bhangal, Jasprit (2013). Indian Cooking with Four Ingredients: Quick, Easy, Every Day, Authentic Indian Recipes Using Only Four Ingredients. Troubador Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-1780884868.
- ^ "Tikka masala out, jalfrezi is UK's No. 1 dish". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ Hall, Hames (21 July 2011). "Move over masala, jalfrezi is now our favourite curry". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2018.