MURGH MUSALLAM RECIPE

Ingredients:

. 10 flakes garlic (crushed).

. 2 tbsp grated ginger.

. Salt To Taste.

. 1 cup curd or plain yogurt.

. 1 tbsp 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.

. 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.

Spices.

. 2 tsp garam masala powder.

. 1 tbsp turmeric powder.

. 8 cloves.

. 6 black peppercorns.

. 1 brown cardamom.

. 1 tsp red chili powder.

. 1 tbsp roasted coriander powder.

. 1 tsp cumin seeds.

. 1/2 tsp saffron strands.

How to make chicken murgh musallam :

· 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 murgh musallam

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