Murgh Musallam

I've seen a few recipes for this dish, so after finding one that wouldn't need a million and one extra ingredients that i didn't have, i thought i would give it a go.

This was my first time cooking this and although it was lovely, i would have cooked it slightly longer on the cooker and in the oven to get a better texture on the outside of the chicken.

I used a whole baby chicken and 2 eggs which was sufficient for 2 people, however, if you would like to do it for 4 or more, just double or triple the recipe. So for 4 people i would use 2 baby chickens or 1 large chicken, etc.

This is a lovely dish to have at the beginning of a special meal, and i accompanied it with a jeera rice, the recipe for which will be my next post. It is also a one pot dish which means you won't have to wash more than one dish (which is always a plus point).

I used:

1 whole baby chicken
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tbsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp paprika for colour
Salt to taste

Make deep slits on the chicken breast and light slits in legs. This is to ensure flavour will penetrate chicken. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken. Rub into the slits and cavity of chicken well and marinate overnight if possible or for at least 4 hours.

For the sauce:

3 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup ghee
3 cardamoms
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 large onion, chopped finely
1/2 tsp salt
2 hardboiled eggs
Saffron
1 tsp sugar
A few drops rosewater
Fried onions
Chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)
Raisins for garnish (optional)

Get the chicken out of fridge and allow to sit.

Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for half an hour.

In a deep pot, pour in your ghee. Add your cardamoms and cinnamon sticks and allow to infuse ghee.

Put in your onions and salt and brown slightly. Get the whole chicken (do not throw away the marinade) and put it breast down into the pot and on a medium - high heat, letting it brown. Pick the pot up and swish it around every few minutes so chicken does not stick to the bottom. After 5 minutes, turn the chicken over and do the same to the other side. Let it get a golden crisp brown.

Put some water in the remaining yoghurt mixture and pour over the chicken. Cover and cook in the mixture, turning chicken over once, until oil seperates. This will take about 20 - 25 minutes on a low heat.

Pre heat oven to about 230°C or gas mark 6 - 7.

While oven is pre heating, in a blender, blend your poppy seeds with enough water to cover seeds into a paste.

Uncover chicken, put the hardboiled eggs into the cavity, sprinkle your saffron, sugar, pour in the poppy paste, and add a few drops of rose water. Add a handful of fried onions also. Covering the pot, gently swish the pot around to incorporate the ingredients. (Garnish with pistachios and raisins at this point if you would like).

Put into the oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and serve immediately.

Serve with jeera rice (my next post!)

Enjoy!

Yaz ♥