Shahi Experience

It has been ages since my last entry. This is mostly due to a crazy work schedule, lots of cousins visiting and mostly lack of discipline and organization on my part. Anyway here I am back and with another recipe that is tried and tested. Today I am in the mood for something shahi and sinfully rich. The more elaborate cuisine are rich. And if you cut corners you just don't get the full taste. Personally I am of the opinion that it is better to have a great dish once in a while with all the fringes instead of having it often and cutting corners here and there. So my Parathas must have appropriate amount of ghee in the dough, my firni needs to have the flavor of saffron and the bite of pistachio and almond. These are special treat and if you start cutting the nut here, the ghee there then where is the treat???

Today I am sharing a really yummy recipe for Murgh Musallam. This is my mom-in-laws recipe and the first time I had it, I was completely floored. It does require a bit of work but it is not an intimidating recipe and if you want make just one special dish at a dinner trust me just make this and people won't miss anything else :)

Mom-in-Law's Murgh Musallam
Serves 2-4

Whole Chicken (I am told not to get a hen for this dish for the best results) - 1 (at least 700 grams weight)
Grated potato - 2 cups
Grated carrot - 1 cup
Onion paste - 3 tablespoons
Lemon juice - 3 tablespoons
Yogurt (sweet) - 2 cups (whipped lightly)
Boiled egg (peeled) - 1 to 2
Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon
Garlic paste - 2 teaspoons
Chili powder - 1 teaspoons (adjust to your taste)
Coriander (Dhone) powder - 1 tablespoon
Finely sliced onion - 1 cup
Thin matchstick of Almond and Pistachio - 2 tablespoons
Sultana/raisins - 1 to 2 tablespoons
Aloo Bokhara (dried plum) - 6 to 8
Garam Masala powder - 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons
Ghee (clarified butter) - 1/3 cup
Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste

Clean the chicken and make sure the inside cavity is clean and empty. Generously prick the whole chicken all over. Rub the lemon juice into the chicken (outside and inside) and leave the chicken to marinate for at least 20 minutes up to 2 hours.


While your chicken marinates, heat half the Ghee and fry the potato and carrot until the potato is soft and light brown. Mix 1/2 cup sweet yogurt with this potato and carrot mixture and set aside the mixture.

Stuff the chicken with this yogurt-potato-carrot mixture along with 1 to 2 boiled eggs. Tie the opening with a twine.

Fry the stuffed chicken in the remaining Ghee until the chicken is lightly browned all over. Remove the chicken from the Ghee and set aside.

In the hot Ghee add the onion paste. Fry for a few minutes, add the ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder, chili powder and salt to taste. Fry the masala mixture until the raw smell is gone and Ghee comes up on the surface. You might need to add a tiny bit of water time to time while frying the masala to prevent it from burning.

Add the remaining sweet yogurt and mix well with the masala. Add the Stuffed, browned chicken to this mixture. Turn the heat down very low and gently cook covered. Time to time turn the chicken over to ensure the flavor and masala gets into the chicken uniformly. If you find the gravy becoming very dry add a bit of water time to time to allow the chicken to cook throughly.

While the chicken is cooking, heat some oil in a deep bottom pan and add the finely sliced onions. Gently fry the onion until they turn brown and crisp (beresta). Remove from the oil and let the brown onion slices drain on a paper towel.

Check the chicken. Once it is 2/3 done, crush the beresta into the gravy along with the chopped nuts, raisins and aloo bokhra. Sprinkle garam masala powder over the chicken. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes or so.

Serve the chicken with paratha or pulao. You can garnish the chicken with some julienned almond.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Note: If you don't like carrot you can omit it from the stuffing.

If you like Kewra water, you can add 2 teaspoons of it towards the very end to further flavor the gravy.

If you want, you can also lightly brown the egg before stuffing it.

You could also brown the chicken first and then stuff it.