Murgh-E-Musallam
Murgh-E-Musallam. An imaginative version of this Mughlai royal delicacy with a taste so succulent and delicious, it appears plausible that I may have just adapted this Murgh-E-Musallam recipe in a dream, peering through the undisclosed imperial kitchens of the Mughal Dynasty. Somewhat divergent from the traditional dish known to have been delicately prepared in the courts of Akbar-e-Azam, my version has its focus on the luscious gravy of fried red onions, ripe tomatoes, roasted cashews, almonds, poppy seeds and of course authentic, exotic spices including garam masala, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri Lal Mirch and saffron. Marinated, shallow fried, stuffed if you so please, and slowly roasted to perfection, this is whole chicken like you have never had before. It may be the THE epitome of a Dawat recipe.
Servings: 6
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.
Notes
*If you would like to stuff the whole marinated chickens, as is the manner of preparation in the original Murgh Musallam recipe, boil, cool and peel a few eggs and set aside. Prepare minced beef or chicken ('Keema') by sautéing the mince in some spices and onions until partly cooked and browned. I would stuff the chicken with the boiled eggs and cooked minced meat right before shallow frying the whole chickens, making sure to tie and secure the marinated, stuffed whole chickens with kitchen twine before carefully frying each chicken until golden brown.