Sunday, February 2, 2014

Murg Musallam [A Royal Awadhi Chicken Recipe]


       

        Musallam connotes a whole chicken.This is a rich Awadhi cuisine made of whole chicken,in stuffed category,and of great taste,rich aroma & flavour.The present recipe is a bit in deviation from original procedure accommodating the modern way of   cooking & convenience.A royal sight on your dining table before your guests in a dawat!

Ingredients :

  • Dressed whole chicken  1 [500-600 gm]
For marination-
  • Lemon  1
  • Salt 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder  1/2 tsp
For Stuffing-
  • Mutton keema [minced mutton]  250 gm
  • Green cardamoms  4
  • Cinnamon  2"
  • Cloves  3
  • Bay leaf  3  
  • Mace [javitri]  2 leaves
  • Red chili powder  1 tsp
  • Dry garam masala  1tsp
  • Ginger  2" piece
  • Onion  4 medium
  • Green chili  4-5
  • Garlic  6-7 cloves
  • Poppy seeds  2 tsp
  • Milk  1/2 cup
  • Khoya or paneer  1/2 cup
  • Kewra essence  a few drops
  • Salt to taste
  • Refined oil or pure ghee  4 tbsp
  • For garnishing-
  • Eggs  3 boiled
  • Coriander leaves  1 bunch

 Preparation :

  •  Marination of chicken: Wash the chicken thoroughly.Make cuts on all the parts of chicken.Rub lemon juice on every part of it and apply turmeric powder and salt as well.Keep aside for 2 hours for marination.

  • Marination of keema: Wash thoroughly the minced mutton,mix salt and leave aside  for 1/2 hour.Thereafter throw away discharged water.
  • Cut finely the ginger,garlic and onions lengthwise.Grind half of these together.
  • Chop finely the green coriander leaves.
  • Soak poppy seeds in milk for 1/2 hour.Then grind the poppy seeds with milk itself.
  • Cut the green chiliies lengthwise.
  • Boil the eggs.Fry two of them and grate the other one.
  • Grate paneer [or mash khoya].

Method:

  • For stuffing:  Heat a pressure cooker,add 1 tbsp oil.Add green cardamom,mace,clove,cinnamon and fry for 1-2 seconds.Add pieces of onion and fry till golden brown.
  • Add keema and 1/4 tsp of salt.Fry,keep stirring till discharged water is tried up.Add dry garam masala,red chili powder,poppy seed paste,keep stirring
  • .Cover the lid without valve,and cook till keema gets tender.Add green chili pieces and paneer or khoya,mix and cook for 5 minutes.Close the flame.Add kewra.Cut the fried egg into 8 pieces and mix.Stuffing is ready.

  • For chicken:  Heat remaining oil or ghee in a cooker,add the full chicken,fry carefully until semi tender.Take it out and place on a big plate.
  • Stuff the chicken with the  keema stuffing properly.Keep the remaining stuffing aside.



  • Add onion,garlic and ginger paste in the remaining oil in the heated cooker.Fry,keep stirring till oil starts oozing in the bottom.
  • Add the remaining stuffing.Mix well.
  • Place the stuffed chicken in it.Cover well the chicken with masala from bottom of cooker.Cover cooker with lid.Cook for 1 whistle,lower the flame,cook for another 10 minutes.
Close the flame.When pressure is released,remove the lid,take out chicken carefully,so that it is not broken, in a serving tray.
The murg musallam is ready.
 


 Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and grated egg.
Serve hot.Cut into medium pieces with a sharp edged knife at the time of meal itself.
Ideal companion- rumali roti or nan and rice [preferably basmati rice].