The uniqueness of Naga cuisine lies in its simplicity, flavour and wide variants. The world-famous Ghost Chilli (Bhoot Jolokia), also known as King Chilli or Naga Chilli and bamboo shoots are used in most of the items that make the Naga cuisine unique and spiciest in entire Northeast India. So, here is another regional preparation, a Naga style stewed chicken along with some crunchy vegetables, flavoured with bamboo shoots and ghost chilli. I couldn’t dare to use a whole Ghost Chilli in this recipe, so ended up adding a portion of pickled Ghost Chilli to control the heat. This one of a kind dish is simple and worth trying and will make you fall in love with Naga food. 

Ingredients:
Chicken: 500 gm
Onion: 1 sliced/ chopped
Ginger: 1 and a half inch
Garlic: 10-15 cloves
Dry red chillies: 8-10 (soaked in water for 1-2 hours)
Cherry tomatoes: 1 cup
Vegetables of choice: I used Bok Choy, green beans and carrots
Bamboo shoots: 1 tablespoon
Ghost chilli: Raw or pickled (as per the preference of heat, use a small portion if not used to it or use pickled chilli)
Coriander leaves: for garnishing
Spring onions: for garnishing
Mustard oil: 1-2 tablespoons (Optional) and Salt as per taste

(The same preparation can be made with beef and pork meat too, in case beef or pork no need to used oil as the meat has its fat that is enough for cooking.)

Preparation: 45 minutes to an hour, serves 4 persons.

Step 1: Add ginger, garlic and the soaked chillies into a grinder or mortar and make a coarse paste. Gently smash the cherry tomatoes separately and keep them aside.

Step 2: Heat a kadhai/ dutch oven and add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Add the chicken and saute it for 1-2 minutes. Next add the sliced onion followed by the ginger, garlic and chilli paste. Mix it well, stir for 2-3 minutes on medium to low flame.

Step 3: Next, add the smashed cherry tomatoes and stir for a minute. Now add ghost chilli/ pickle, bamboo shoots and salt as per taste. Saute it for a minute and cover the lid. Let it cook for 5 minutes on low flame. After 5 minutes stir the chicken gently and add water for the curry (Approx 500 ml). Bring it to a boil and cover the lid again. Let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes on low flame until the chicken is tender. In the case of beef or pork, increase the cooking time or boil the meat before cooking.

Step 4: Once the chicken is cooked add the vegetables, mix it and cover for another 5-8 minutes. It’s better to use vegetables that take lesser time to cook, such as collard greens, bok choy, beans, carrot, turnip etc. Do not overcook the vegetables, let them be crunchy and juicy. After 5-8 minutes toss some chopped coriander leaves and spring onions over the curry and turn the gas off.

Enjoy this authentic Naga Chicken curry hot along with steamed rice. Here I have cooked Khamti Lahi Rice, a kind of rare sticky rice that grows only in Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. The cooking process of this rice is different from others. The cleaned rice is usually soaked for 8-10 hours, wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. The rice is famous for its unique taste and aroma.

Check out these stunning Longpi Pottery, also known as Black Pottery utensils and some Naga Chilli flakes far from Northeast India, now available on Amazon-