Whole Chicken. That would be the literal Urdu translation of Murgh Musallam. But I do think that such a literal translation takes away entirely from the actual royal, intense, majestic innate design and construction of this dish. I have an inherited fascination with the Mughal Dynasty, which probably solidified when, upon the recommendation of Abu, I read William Dalrymple’s book “The last Mughal.” Understanding and reading about history to quench an inner yearning about wanting to know and an endless curiosity about what was is so satisfying. And of course any mention of the reign of Mughals for centuries in India with their valor, brilliance, courage and personality is incomplete without paying tribute to their remarkable, historically documented, Persian-influenced cuisine . This magnificent whole chicken recipe is one such Mughlai recipe, a labor of love, intricately prepared and meticulously executed.
I recently discovered that there exists a historical 16th century documentation named ‘Ain-i-Akbari,’ a volume in author Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama.’ This is a written compilation that details the administration of Akbar the Great, the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. The specifics of a similar recipe, which Murgh-E-Musallam seems to have originated from, is included in ‘Ain-i-Akbari,’ as penned by Fazl under a category comprising of meats cooked with exotic spices and nuts. The foundation of this recipe starts with thoroughly cleaned whole chickens with several gashes strategically placed to ensure the inner meat portion absorbs all the flavors of the marinade including lots of fresh ginger + garlic paste, garam masala spices, yogurt, saffron and fresh lime juice. In my version, I first shallow fry the tied, marinated chickens to seal the intense spices and seasonings, traditionally stuffed with eggs and spiced minced meat (which I did leave out in my recipe, but can easily be included). The whole chickens are then carefully coated and drenched in a simmering gravy of onions, tomatoes, additional spices, roasted cashews, poppy seeds (‘Khush Khush’) and almonds and slowly roasted to juicy, tender, succulent perfection. I think I need to stop typing now because my mouth is watering indeed!
Murgh-E-Musallam
Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
- 2 2.5-3 lb whole chickens (small chickens) *skin removed, cleaned thoroughly, and gashes placed in breast and leg
- 3-4 tbsp lime juice *freshly squeezed, 1 ½ small limes
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste
- ½ tbsp fresh ginger paste
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1½ tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp garam masala powder *I use Rajah brand
- 3 tbsp plain yogurt *whole milk yogurt, whisked
- 1½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp almond essence
- ¼ tsp saffron threads *crushed
- 3 tbsp cooking oil *grape seed oil
For Nut Paste
- ¼ cup almonds *peeled, blanched
- ¼ cup cashews
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- ¼ tsp Shah Zeera *black cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
For Gravy
- 1 red onion *finely chopped
- 3 tomatoes *Roma, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp grape seed oil
- 1 tbsp ghee *clarified butter
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp ginger paste
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- 1 cup yogurt *whole milk yogurt, whisked
- Canola oil *2 cups or as needed for shallow frying marinated chickens
- whole nuts for garnishing *golden raisins, cashews and almonds
Instructions
For Chicken Marination
- Thoroughly clean, rinse and pat dry small whole chickens (clean cavities well). Using a knife, place gashes in the chicken meat (breast and leg/thigh areas). Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, make marinade. Add freshly squeezed lime juice, fresh ginger + garlic paste, crushed saffron threads, spices (garam masala, Kashmiri Lal Mirch, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder), Kosher salt, almond essence and oil and whisk very well to incorporate all ingredients. Now add whisked yogurt and mix to combine well.
- Massage marinade into both chickens for at least 2-3 minutes and ensure marinade is evenly spread and pressed inside gashes. Place kitchen twine around chickens to secure and tighten. Cover marinated chickens and refrigerate overnight.
For Nut Paste
- Heat skillet on medium heat. Once skillet is hot, turn heat to medium low and dry roast almonds and cashews for 2-3 minutes, mixing with spatula and swirling skillet to ensure even roasting. Once nuts are lightly golden, add poppy seeds, Shah Zeera and Kosher salt, mix well and continue to roast for an additional 1 minute until you achieve a perfect, nutty aroma. Remove from heat and blend to a coarse, smooth paste.
For Gravy
- In a large cooking vessel, add ghee + oil and heat on medium heat. Once hot, add finely chopped red onions and fry until light golden brown for about 6-7 minutes, stirring as needed. Turn heat to medium low, add ginger + garlic paste and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Now add spices (chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala), add Kosher salt, turn heat to low, mix well and sauté for 1-2 minutes (add 1-2 tsp water to prevent burning of spices). Now add chopped tomatoes, mix well and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat, stirring as needed. Now add nut paste + 1 tbsp water, mix well and continue to cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes, until oil separates. Now add whisked yogurt, mix again and cook gravy for another 10 minutes. Add remaining chicken marinade juices and cook for a final 10 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
For Initial Frying of Marinated Chickens
- In a large, deep frying vessel, heat 2 cups Canola oil on medium high heat for shallow frying chickens. Once oil is hot, carefully place chickens and fry on medium high heat until all sides are golden brown (about 3 minutes per side). Fry one chicken at a time until golden brown. Carefully remove chickens, place on paper towel lined baking sheet to remove excess oil. Then place chicken in roasting pan. *Note: Add the remaining marinade juices to the simmering gravy, mix well and cook gravy for a final 7-8 minutes on medium heat. *See Notes section below for stuffing chicken*
For Final Roasting of Chickens
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place shallow fried chickens in a large roasting pan. Pour prepared gravy on top of chickens and coat both chickens evenly with gravy using a pastry brush. Sprinkle some almonds and golden raisins on top. Cover roasting pan with lid or aluminum foil and roast chickens for 40-45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, remove roasting pan from oven, carefully remove cover, carefully turn whole chickens, fully baste chicken with liquid gravy on bottom of pan, sprinkle whole nuts on top (golden raisins, cashews and almonds) and roast chickens, uncovered for a final 10-15 minutes, until gravy becomes thick, oil separates and chickens are browned on top side. Remove roasted chickens from oven, let cool for 10-15 minutes, carefully plate chickens onto serving plater with reserved gravy plated on top and around chickens.
- Succulent, tender and absolutely delicious Murgh-E-Musallam is now ready to serve. Accompanied with Hyderabadi Biryani or plain 'Bagarey Chawal,' this mouthwatering delicacy will be devoured by your guests in no time at all. Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.