Jalfrezi : Anglo Indian Cuisine : Food Memories and Recipe

Vikram Karve
6 min readDec 12, 2024

________

JALFREZI

Delicacy from Anglo Indian Cuisine

A Colourful Spicy Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Dish

Food Blog By Vikram Karve

________

Vegetable Jalfrezi

________

From my Foodie Archives:

Mouthwatering Memories of the delicious Jalfrezi I relished around 15 years ago in the year 2010 and a simple recipe for Jalfrezi.

________

JALFREZI

Delicacy from Anglo Indian Cuisine

Colourful Spicy Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Dish

Food Memories and Recipe By Vikram Karve

_________

RENDEZVOUS WITH JALFREZI

_________

At the customary sumptuous buffet lunch following my niece’s engagement at Avion Hotel in Mumbai — I was pleasantly surprised to see Vegetable Jalfrezi on the menu.

My mouth watered — as I looked at this appetizingly colourful dish comprising crisp crunchy tempting panoply of vegetables — onions, tomatoes, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, beans, green peas, potatoes, green chillies…

I placed a generous helping of Jalfrezi on my tongue — I closed my eyes.

The Jalfrezi was exceptional — the vegetables fresh and crunchy — and the distinctive flavoursome, zesty, spicy, sweet and sour taste clearly coming through.

________

WHAT IS JALFREZI

________

Definition and Meaning of Jalfrezi

________

When I was a small boy — in the 1960’s — the delicious main-course dish called “Jalfrezi” — both the Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian versions of Jalfrezi — were a regular feature on restaurant menus.

It was the onslaught of Punjabi and Mughlai Cuisines — the increasing popularity of the Kormas, the Koftas, the “Kadhai” and “Butter” Makhanwala Curries and Gravies — the preponderance of the ubiquitous paneer — all this gradually pushed Jalfrezi out of most popular menus.

And now — one gets this unique dish Jalfrezi only at select restaurants.

___________

The stir-fry Jalfrezi method of cooking is different from the traditional Indian Curry Recipes.

In fact — Jalfrezi is an Anglo-Indian Cuisine Dish — a relic of the British Raj.

Yes — Jalfrezi is a colonial culinary legacy of the erstwhile British India Raj.

Jalfrezi is not a curry or gravy.

Jalfrezi is a stir fry dish which must look colourful.

You must be able to identify the various vegetables (and meats, if any) — which should be of crisp consistency — and must taste lip-smacking yummy.

Jalfrezi literally means “hot-fry”.

But — the word Jalfrezi is probably better translated as “stir-fry”.

_________

The term Jalfrezi entered the English language at the time of the British Raj in India.

Colonial British Households employed Indian cooks who would use the Jalfrezi method of “hot-fry” cooking to heat up cold roasted meat and potatoes.

Some say that during the Raj — the British created this method of reheating left-overs — especially left-over meats.

Others say that Jalfrezi has its roots in the Calcutta (Kolkata) region of India at the time of the British Raj.

They credit the Governor General for the state of Bengal — Lord Marcus Sandys — who enjoyed spicy Indian foods — for inventing this dish called Jalfrezi.

________

In Bengal — “Jhal” means “spicy hot” or “pungent”.

Maybe — “Jhal” led to “Jal” — and to this — they probably added “fry” and “jee” — which probably became “zee” — so:

JAL + FRY + ZEE = JALFREZI

Yes:

“Jal” + “Fry” + “Zee” = Jalfrezi

________

HOW TO MAKE JALFREZI

________

Simple Recipe for Jalfrezi

________

It is easy rustle up a delicious Jalfrezi.

To put in simple words — Jalfrezi is a simple dish — the Indian version of Chinese “Stir-Fry” — made with curry spices.

Take a variety of vegetables — onions, tomatoes, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, beans, green peas, potatoes, green chillies — yes — plenty of green chillies to make it zesty and spicy.

Cut the vegetables into small pieces

Slice a few onions — and — grate a few onions.

Remember — Jalfrezi is a “Stir-Fry” dish.

So — you have to keep stirring vigorously throughout the cooking process.

Heat oil in a pan — add cumin seeds — when they sputter — add the grated onions — and stir.

When onions are translucent — stir in ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, a nice amount of red chilli powder and coriander powder — and — stir — yes — stir continuously and vigorously — because Jalfrezi is a “Stir-Fry” dish.

If you want to the Jalfrezi to be a bit sumptuous — you may add some rich creamy paste — roasted cashew-nut, almond and dry fruit paste.

Stir the mixture till it starts separating from sides of the pan.

Now add all the vegetables to the hot stir-fried paste.

Yes — add the chopped tomatoes, sliced onions and slit whole green chillies.

________

(Of course — in the days of the British Raj — Paneer was not as popular as it is today — and certainly — Paneer was not a part of Anglo-Indian Cuisine — but — as an innovation — if you like to experiment — you may and add a few cubes of Paneer to the Jalfrezi too)

________

Stir continuously till cooked crisp and crunchy.

The tomatoes will release adequate moisture — but should the vegetables stick to the pan — you may add a bit of water — but not too much — otherwise the vegetables will lose their crispness and crunchiness.

Season with salt — garnish with fresh green coriander, fresh green chillies and fresh green mint leaves — and eat hot with piping hot rotis, chapatis, phulka — or — with fresh soft buns or pav.

________

As I said earlier — Jalfrezi is not a curry or gravy — it a “Stir-Fry” dish which must look appetizingly colourful — and you must be able to identify the various vegetables — and meats — if any — which be of crisp consistency and yummy zesty taste.

I prefer not to overwhelm my Jalfrezi with too many spices and chillies — but if you like it nice and spicy — go ahead.

_________

NON-VEG JALFREZI

_________

You can make Jalfrezi with your choice of meat too — chicken or mutton or lamb.

But — in deference to the wishes of one of my favourite vegetarian readers (she feels that I always give Non-Veg recipes) — this time — I have given you the Vegetarian version of Jalfrezi.

You can make Non-Vegetarian Jalfrezi exactly the same way.

It is a good idea to boil the mutton or chicken (with some spices added for flavour) — till almost done — and then — stir-fry the mutton or chicken along with the vegetables when cooking the Jalfrezi.

I prefer boneless chicken or mutton — but the choice is yours.

_______

Here is a picture of Jalfrezi (from the internet)

Jalfrezi : Colourful Spicy Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Dish

________

Here is a picture I clicked of a wedding buffet lunch I enjoyed in November 2023 — Vegetable Jalfrezi can be seen at the top

Jalfrezi (Top) in a buffet wedding lunch I enjoyed in November 2023

________

Tell me — Dear Reader — isn’t the recipe for Jalfrezi breathtaking in its simplicity…?

Try it.

Cook it.

And relish the Jalfrezi to your heart’s content.

You’ll love it.

Happy Eating…!!!

________

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

  1. This recipe is based on my improvisation. You are requested to do your own due diligence and use ingredients/cooking method as per your discretion/style.
  2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
  3. E&OE

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

Link to my source post in my Blog Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2017/07/jalfrezi-delicacy-from-anglo-indian.html

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

I wrote this recipe long back — around 12 years ago — and have posted it online a number of times earlier including at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/11/jalfrezi-colourful-spicy-sweet-and-sour.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/10/jalfrezi-delicious-appetizing-riot-of.html and https://karve.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/anglo-indian-cuisine-jalfrezi/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2021/05/16/jalfrezi/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2021/12/15/anglo-indian-cuisine-jalfrezi-2/ etc

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

____________

--

--

Vikram Karve
Vikram Karve

Written by Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, alumnus IIT Delhi, Lawrence School Lovedale, Vikram Karve is a retired Navy Officer turned full time Writer and Blogger

Responses (2)