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].