One of my friends introduced me to this dish on one of my visits to Bombay. Initially, I was very skeptical to try it, but the first spoonful entered my mouth, and the flavor explosion that happened in my mouth blew my mind away. I immediately started my research on the dish and found out, “If the spirit of the Wet Lands of Southern Louisiana, also known as Bayou region is to be captured in a single dish, then it has to be Jambalaya”. It is smoky, spicy, and umami in a single spoonful. It is not a regular rice dish; it is history in a pot. It is a dish that is served hot and is born from a collision of cultures, and centuries of adaptation.
The dish traditionally has to be prepared using a special smoked sausage called Andouille, which is made from pork. Chicken and seafood were also to be used in the recipe. But here in India, it is impossible to lay hands on the exact kind of sausage, so I had to get creative. Since it is the season of Mangoes, why not make a small change to the traditional recipe and Indianize the dish?
For that, let us first marinate our meat!!
Dry Spice rub for marination:
(the measurements are for approximately 400g of chicken)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp regular chili powder
- ½ tsp mustard sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar (tenderizes the meat)
Marinate the meat:
- Take 400gm of boneless chicken thighs(For a vegetarian version, you can use Paneer or Tofu).
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized portions and marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
Once marinated, sear the chicken in 1 tbsp oil until browned but not fully cooked and set aside. We will cook the chicken completely later.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1.5 cups long grain rice(basmati works perfect), Soak for 30 minutes
- 2.5 – 3 cups chicken stock
Mango Twist:
- 1/2 cup grated raw mango (instead of full tomato base)
- 1/2 cup ripe mango puree (blended pulp)
- 1/2 cup ripe mango cubes (folded in at the end)
Seasonings:
- 1.5 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to heat preference)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
Optional Protein Add-in:
- 200g shrimp, peeled & deveined (added at the end)
- 1/2 cup grated raw mango (instead of full tomato base)
- 1/2 cup ripe mango puree (blended pulp)
- 1/2 cup ripe mango cubes (folded in at the end)
Seasonings:
- 1.5 tsp Cajun seasoning (mix at the end of recipe)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp regular chilli powder (adjust to heat preference)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
Cooking Instructions:
- Take the same pan in which we seared the chicken. Add the Onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook them until they are soft. These aromatics, when used together, are called the Holy Trinity.
- Add garlic and cook until the raw smell is gone.
- Stir in the grated raw mango. Cook for 2-3 minutes. This gives a tropical tang to the dish.
- Add the soaked rice, paprika, regular chilli powder, Cajun seasoning, and bay leaves and stir well.
- Now, let’s add the ripe mango puree, half the stock. Check the taste and add raw mango if needed.
- Stir in the seared and browned meat.
- Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- The rice should be 85% cooked. Now add the deveined shrimp and stir them evenly.
- Add the remaining stock, based on the preferred consistency of cooked rice. Leave it on low heat for another 7-10 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked perfectly.
- Once everything is cooked completely, puff up the rice gently using a fork. Gently fold in the ripe mango cubes.
- Adjust salt, spice, and sourness as per your palate.
Serve it hot, and enjoy the sweet, smoky, spicy, tangy explosion!!
Cajun Seasoning:
Mix and store:
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder (adjustable)
- 1/2 tsp salt
