Jalfrezi (Bengali: ঝালফ্রেজী; also jhal frezi, jaffrazi, and many other alternative spellings) is a stir-fried

curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in trad ...

dish originating in

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

and popular throughout the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...

and beyond. Jalfrezi means "hot-fry." It consists of a main ingredient such as meat, fish,

paneer Paneer (), also known as ponir () is a fresh acid-set cheese common in the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) made from full-fat buffalo milk or cow milk. It is a non-aged, non-melting sof ...

or vegetables, stir-fried and served in a thick spicy sauce that includes green chilli peppers. Common further ingredients include bell peppers, onions and tomatoes.

History

Jalfrezi recipes appeared in cookbooks of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

as a way of using up leftovers by frying them with chilli and onion. This English-language usage

derived Derive may refer to: *Derive (computer algebra system), a commercial system made by Texas Instruments * ''Dérive'' (magazine), an Austrian science magazine on urbanism *Dérive, a psychogeographical concept See also * *Derivation (disambiguation ...

from the

colloquial Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom normally employed in conve ...

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

term ''jhāl porhezī'': ''jhāl'' means spicy food; ''porhezī'' means suitable for a diet. Jalfrezi is usually prepared by stir-frying ingredients, a technique introduced to the region by

Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine encompasses the numerous cuisines originating from China, as well as overseas cuisines created by the Chinese diaspora. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many o ...

Preparation

Jalfrezi is typically made from green peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Additional ingredients include spices like paprika and coriander. Vegetables or meat are then stir-fried into the mix. Jalfrezi is often served alongside pulao.

Popularity

In a survey in 2011, jalfrezi was rated the most popular dish in UK Indian and broader South Asian restaurants.

References

Bangladeshi cuisine Indian curries South Asian curries Indian Chinese cuisine Pakistani chicken dishes Bengali cuisine Pakistani curries {{Pakistan-cuisine-stub