MURGH MUSALLAM RECIPE

• Mix three-quarter of garlic with half the ginger, half the garam masala, 1 tbsp. salt, 1/3rd of turmeric, half of curd and the lemon juice and mix to paste.
• Make small cuts in the chicken flesh and rub the paste all over and in the cavity. keep aside for 2 hours.
• Half cook the rice with peas, remaining garlic , 4 cloves, peppercorns, 1/2 tsp. salt, brown cardamom and 4 bay leaves and water and use to stuff chicken.
• Heat the ghee in saucepan and fry the chicken until brown all over, being careful not to let the stuffing out. Drain the chicken.
• In another pan fry half onions in the remaining ghee with 2 bay leaves, remaining cloves and green cardamoms, until golden.
• Add the remaining turmeric and chili powder. Make a paste grinding together the coriander and cumin seeds and the remaining onion and grated ginger.
• Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate. add the remaining curd, the tomato and 1/2 tsp. salt.
• Add the chicken to the pan and baste with the spice mixture. Pour over 300ml/ 11/4 cups of water, cover and cook in a moderately hot oven (200 degree centigrade, 400 degree Fahrenheit, gas mark 6) for 1 hour.
• Steep the saffron in the remaining garam masala powder and coriander leaves before serving murgh musallam.