Naga-Style Chicken With Fermented Bamboo Shoot

Tender juicy chicken, fermented bamboo shoots, zero oil, and loads of flavor- that’s what this Naga style boiled chicken with fermented bamboo shoot recipe is all about! 

The simple, classic flavors of the good old chicken curry get a rustic, healthy touch with fermented bamboo shoots in this Naga-style boiled chicken with fermented bamboo shoot recipe. 

The recipe is super simple, perfect to whip up when you have just a few minutes of kitchen time to spend for dinner and have some fermented bamboo shoots to put to use. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients For the Recipe
• How to Make the Naga Style Boiled Chicken with Fermented Bamboo Shoot
• Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
• Naga Style Boiled Chicken With Fermented Bamboo Shoot

Ready to give this wholesome recipe a shot? Read on to discover all that you need to know about it. 

Ingredients For the Recipe

You’ll be amazed at how little it takes to make this recipe. 

• Tomatoes: 2 large
• Salt: 2 tsps or as per taste
• Black pepper (crushed): 2 tbsps
• Ginger paste: 1 tbsp
• Green chilies (slit): 3-4
• Fermented bamboo shoot: ¼ cup
• Onions (sliced): 1 cup
• Chicken: 400 gms
• Water: 1½ cups
• Coriander leaves (chopped): ½ cup
• Chicken masala: 1 tbsp

How to Make the Naga Style Boiled Chicken with Fermented Bamboo Shoot

Once you have all your ingredients ready, here’s what you need to do to get started with the recipe.

Take a deep-bottomed vessel and fill it with water. Let the water boil and add the tomatoes. 

Cook the tomatoes until you see the color of the skin change and small breaks appear on the skin. 

Take them out of the water and let them cool. 

Next, peel off the skin and mash the tomatoes. 

Add them back into the same water that cooked them.

Next, add salt, black pepper, ginger paste, green chilies, fermented bamboo shoots, and sliced onions. Mix well. 

Add the chicken next and mix. 

Top the mixture with chopped coriander leaves and mix well. 

Sprinkle chicken masala and mix. 

Let the mixture simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked. 

Serve hot with steamed rice. 

What Can I Use Instead of Chicken Masala?

You should be able to find chicken masala (which is basically a spice mix) at any food specialty store or supermarket near you. The chicken masala helps add that distinct curry flavor to the dish, but if you don’t have it, you can use any basic curry masala of your choice as well. 

What Else Can I Add to the Boiled Chicken With Fermented Bamboo Shoot?

This classic chicken curry tastes best when you allow the flavors of the fermented bamboo shoot and the chicken to shine through. However, if you still want to take it a step further and make this dish more nutritious, you can add some potatoes, sliced cabbage, or diced carrots into the mix. 

Can I Make it In Instant Pot?

You can definitely use your Instant Pot or any pressure cooker to make this Naga-style boiled chicken with fermented bamboo shoot. Infact, this will help your chicken cook in a much shorter time frame, and you’ll have a delicious, lip-smacking meal ready in a matter of minutes. 

How Do I Store the Leftovers?

Your leftover chicken with fermented bamboo shoot can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Since this dish is rich in probiotic bacteria, it is best to consume it as soon as you can. Also, remember to use an airtight container to store the leftovers. 

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

Think you’ve got the recipe all covered? Here are some more tips and tricks to help you take the flavors up a notch. 

• This Indian curry is typically made using zero oil, and the chicken is allowed to cook in its own juices along with the water from the tomatoes and bamboo shoots. However, if you really want to, you can sauté the spices in a bit of oil to give it some additional flavor. 
• The fermented bamboo shoots and the tomatoes lend the curry that nice tangy flavor that you’re looking for, but if you still want to add a tad bit more sourness to it, you can squeeze a bit of lemon juice on the top after the curry is done cooking. 
• If you can, use coarsely chopped ginger instead of ginger paste. The coarseness of the ginger will add more flavor to the curry, and give it that rustic touch. 
• Want to lend a bit more spiciness to your curry? You can add some Mongmong Jang (a kind of Sichuan peppercorn native to the Naga region) to the curry. 
• If you don’t have the Mongmong Jang but still want the curry to have a unique spicy flavor, you can grind some soaked dried red chilies and add the paste to the curry, depending on your spice tolerance. 
• For this curry, it is best to use chicken on the bone, since it is what will lend your curry that extra punch of flavor, as opposed to boneless chicken. If you’re using boneless chicken though, you can compensate by adding some chicken stock or throwing a stock cube into the mix. 
• Avoid adding too much water to the dish. It is best to get the curry to have the right consistency- it shouldn’t be too dry or watery. 
• To lend even more flavor to this chicken curry, you can pan fry the chicken separately and then add it to the gravy. 
• Don’t forget to garnish the curry with lots of chopped coriander leaves or a handful of chopped green onions. 

How to Serve the Naga Style Boiled Chicken With Fermented Bamboo Shoot

This delicious Indian curry tastes best when served with steamed rice. You can opt for Basmati rice or stick to your regular rice- whatever you prefer. 

If the consistency of the curry isn’t too thin, you can also pair it with some chapatis (Indian flatbread) on the side. 

You can serve this delicious curry with some Kolkata chicken biryani to make it a complete meal. And of course, don’t forget to make some raita on the side too, and serve it with some tangy tamarind cooler to wash it all down.