Indian cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Murgh Musallam

Whole chicken slow-braised in the oven in a Mughal masala of almonds, yogurt and saffron.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 chicken (approx. 1.4 kg)
• 300 g yogurt
• 100 g almonds (blanched)
• 60 g cashews
• 3 onions
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 80 g ghee
• Salt

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken dry inside and out, score deep cuts all over down to the bone and rub with 2 tsp salt; let sit for 30 min.
2. Soak almonds and cashews in hot water for 20 min. and blend with a little water into a smooth paste; dissolve the saffron in 3 tbsp warm water.
3. Cut the onions into thin strips and fry in 50 g ghee for 15 min. until deep golden brown, let cool, then blend with the yogurt, nut paste, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder and half the garam masala into a thick masala.
4. Coat the chicken all over and in the cuts with it, place in a roasting pan, pour the remaining masala with 200 ml water around it and braise covered at 180 °C for 60 min.
5. Remove the lid, drizzle the remaining ghee and saffron water over the chicken and brown uncovered for another 20–25 min., basting twice with the sauce, until the skin is glossy golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining garam masala, arrange the halved eggs around the chicken and serve with the thick sauce and naan.