II Murg Musallam II

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

  • 10 flakes garlic (crushed)
  • 2 tbsp. grated ginger
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup curd or plain yogurt
  • 1tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 chicken
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 3/4th cup shelled peas
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1 cup ghee
  • 2 large onions (finely chopped)
  • 225gms/1/2 lb tomatoes (peeled & sliced)
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 3tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

Spices

  • 2tsp. garam masala powder
  • 1tbsp. turmeric powder
  • 8 cloves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 brown cardamom
  • 1tsp. red chili powder
  • 1 tbsp. roasted coriander powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/2tsp. saffron strands

Preperation :

  • Mix three-quarter of garlic with half the ginger, half the garam masala, 1 tbsp. salt, 1/3rd of turmeric, half of curd and the lemon juice and mix to paste.
  • Make small cuts in the chicken flesh and rub the paste all over and in the cavity. keep aside for 2 hours.
  • Half cook the rice with peas, remaining garlic , 4 cloves, peppercorns, 1/2 tsp. salt, brown cardamom and 4 bay leaves and water and use to stuff chicken.
  • Heat the ghee in saucepan and fry the chicken until brown all over, being careful not to let the stuffing out. Drain the chicken.
  • In another pan fry half onions in the remaining ghee with 2 bay leaves, remaining cloves and green cardamoms, until golden.
  • Add the remaining turmeric and chili powder. Make a paste grinding together the coriander and cumin seeds and the remaining onion and grated ginger.
  • Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate. add the remaining curd, the tomato and 1/2 tsp. salt.
  • Add the chicken to the pan and baste with the spice mixture. Pour over 300ml/ 11/4 cups of water, cover and cook in a moderately hot oven (200 degree centigrade, 400 degree Fahrenheit, gas mark 6) for 1 hour.
  • Steep the saffron in the remaining garam masala powder and coriander leaves before serving.