Murgh Musallam: A Sumptuous and Wholesome Mughlai Chicken Dish
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Murgh Musallam is a Mughlai dish originating from the Indian subcontinent.

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 4 

Ingredients:

Paste

  • 1/3 Cup Cashew Nuts
  • 1/3 Cup Sesame Seeds
  • 1/3 Cup Poppy Seeds

Spice Mix

  • 2 Pc Bay Leaf
  • 1 Tbsp Peppercorns
  • 1-Inch Cinnamon Stick
  • 3-4 Cardamom Pods

 Murgh Musallam Gravy

  • 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 Tsp Cumin Powder
  • 2 Tsp Coriander Powder
  • 4 Pc Onion (Sliced)
  • 2 Pc Tomatoes (Chopped)
  • 2 Pc Green Chilly (Chopped)
  • 1/2 Cup Curd 
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Oil
  • 5 Kashmiri/Byadgi Red Chilies
  • 8 Garlic Cloves (Chopped)
  • 2 Inch Ginger (Chopped)
  • Salt to Taste
  • Water

For Stuffing

  • 1 Whole Chicken 
  • 250 Gm Minced Chicken 
  • 1 Tbsp Oil
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Red Chili Powder
  • 1 Green Chilly (Chopped)
  • Salt
  • Water as Required
  • 2 Pc Boiled Eggs
  • 2-Metre Cotton Thread 
  • 1 Tbsp Cashew Nuts
  • 1 Tbsp Raisins

Method:

  • Clean and brine the chicken for a minimum of 4-5 hours
  • In a pan roast sesame seeds, poppy seeds and cashew nuts 
  • Grind the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and half of the cashew nuts to a fine powder
  • Soak Byadgi red chilies in water for a couple of hours
  • In a grinder, make a paste of the red chilli paste, ginger, and garlic and separate in a bowl
  • Boil both eggs and de-shell
  • Chop the green chilies and tomatoes 

Preparing Keema

  • Heat oil in a kadai / wok
  • Drop in the chopped onions and fry till golden brown, add ginger-garlic paste and turmeric 
  • Cook till raw smells goes off, add cumin, coriander and red chili powder 
  • Add a splash of water as required, when the oil begins to separate, add minced chicken 
  • Stir in often to avoid burning, add green chilies and salt, add in water if required
  • Keep it separate in a bowl and allow it to cool

 Stuffed Chicken

  • Take the chicken and stuff the keema through the belly, add roasted cashews and raisins 
  • Stuff boiled eggs inside the chicken, take a cotton thread and tie the chicken beginning with the legs and going over the belly and around the neck. Repeat process a few times and set aside

Murgh Musallam Gravy

  • Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and allow them to sputter, add onions and allow them to turn golden brown, add red chilli paste and ginger-garlic paste, cook till the raw smell of garlic goes 
  • Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder, add tomatoes, mix well and allow to cook
  • Add curd and cook till the mixture starts releasing oil, add previously prepared paste 
  • Cook till the mixture starts releasing oil, add water, green chilies and salt
  • Bring the gravy to a boil, once done turn off the heat

Whole Chicken in Gravy

  • Once the gravy comes to the desired consistency, carefully place in the stuffed chicken
  • Bast the chicken, rotate chicken often, repeat the last two steps for 20 minutes
  • Turn the chicken over and repeat the basting. Repeat this process for another 20 minutes
  • Serve hot with Indian breads, or jeera rice

Murg Musallam prepared in traditional mughlai style is a popular dish which has a mixed texture comprising juiciness; it is nutty with the sweetness of almonds and raisins wrapped in crunchiness.