Jaluk Diya Murgi Mangxo / Pepper Chicken

Middle of the week and I am bitten by the "cook something special but simple" bug. While coming back from work, I could feel the bug stirring inside. So little brain storming and zeroed upon Pepper Chicken. Simple Axomiya / Assamese style Pepper chicken or "Jaluk diya murgi mangxo " as say in Assam. That's something my mother used to make during winters. And since this time Mumbai experienced more winter than ever and before it completely bids adieu, I thought let's cook this.


So here it goes : - 


Ingredients ::


Half kg Chicken cut into medium pieces.
I used 2 table spoon of mustard oil and one tea spoon of turmeric powder to marinade the chicken pieces for about 20 minutes.


2 medium onions sliced
1 tea spoon of Ginger & Garlic paste
2 medium potatoes cut into big pieces.
1 Green chili chopped.
2 table spoon Mustard oil to cook.
1 tea spoon of freshly grounded black pepper.


Salt as per taste.


Heat oil in a kedahi. We in Assam use Mustard oil, hence I used the same. Make sure that the oil is properly heat. Add the sliced onions and cook till brown. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till everything is mixed. Since I had used turmeric to marinade the chicken, I did not use it again.




Put the chicken pieces into this onion, ginger garlic mixture and mix everything well. Add the potato pieces. In Assam, potato in chicken and mutton is a common ingredient. It's just there and no one questions that. Cook the chicken pieces in it for 10 minutes. Add the green chili and pour half cup of warm water. Give everything a thorough stir and put the lid. Put the heat to low and let the chicken cook for about 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes check if the chicken pieces are cooked. If they are tender, time to add the star of the dish - grounded black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly but carefully. Turn on the heat and let this cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice or chapatti.

Jaluk diya mangxo

Assamese Fish Tenga with Cauli Flower

We Assamese love fish. The most famous Assamese fish preparation is of course the Fish Tenga. Tenga means sour in Assamese. Fish tenga is a thin runny gravy with a souring agent like Lemon, Tomato, Elephant Apple (Ou Tenga) or fermented bamboo shoots. Tomato is staple. These days the "Hybrid" Tomatoes lack the sourness required for tenga. Hence lemon to rescue.


This Sunday for lunch I made this oh so Assamese fish preparation. Then I thought of sharing the recipe here. But please note we in Assam have river fish not sea fish. So our fish preparations are made of river fishes.


Ingredients :


I am still home alone. Hence the quantity.


Rohu or Rui Fish - 2 pieces
Tomato - 1
Cauli flower - a small one. May be 200 gms.
Potato - 1
Half tea spoon of Paanch Foron or 5 spices ( Like Bengalis, this is a very important ingredient in all Assamese kitchens)
Green Chili - 1
Half a lemon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon to marinate fish pieces and 1/2 tea spoon for the curry.
Salt as per taste
Mustard oil - For frying the fish and then making the curry.


To Garnish


Chopped Coriander leaves


The Assamese Fish Tenga with Cauli Flower

Marinate the fish pieces with little turmeric powder and salt for 15 minutes. Half fry them in mustard oil in a pan / Kedahi. Remove the fish pieces from oil and keep aside.

Fried Fish pieces

Boil the potato and cut into medium pieces. Cut the cauli flower to medium pieces too.


In the same Kedahi add little more oil, if required. Once the oil is hot add paanch foron. Add the cauli flower and tomato pieces and fry them. Add turmeric powder. Once these are cooked, add boiled potato pieces and cook everything together for 2 minutes.

Cauli flower, Tomato & Potato getting cooked.

Heat some water and add the hot water into the cauli flower tomato potato mixture. Add salt accordingly. The Assamese fish tenga is a thin runny curry so please keep that in mind while adding salt and water. Squeeze half a lemon into the curry now.


Let the curry come to a boil.  Now add the fish pieces. Let the curry boil in low flame for 6-7 minutes.

Assamese Fish Tenga with Cauli Flower

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.


Serve hot with steamed rice.