Murg Musallam (Stuffed Spicy Chicken)

Murg Musallam (Stuffed Spicy Chicken)

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken (whole) (wash and clean)
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 cup of shelled peas
• 10 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 2 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 6 bay leaves
• 2 large onions (finely chopped)
• 3-4 tomatoes (peeled & sliced)
• 2 cups of hot water
• 3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• 1 cup of 
  ghee
• Salt To Taste

Spices:

• 8 cloves
• 2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 brown cardamom
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon roasted coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands

Preparation:

1. 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. 
2. Make small cuts in the chicken flesh and rub the paste all over and also in the cavity and keep it for 2 hours.
3. 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 the chicken. 
4. Heat the ghee in a saucepan and fry the chicken until brown all over, be careful not to let the stuffing out.
5. Drain the chicken. 
6. In another pan fry half onions in the remaining ghee with 2 bay leaves, remaining cloves and green cardamoms, until golden. 
7. Add the remaining turmeric and chili powder, make a paste grinding together the coriander and cumin seeds and the remaining onion
   and grated ginger.
8. Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate, add the remaining curd, the tomato and salt to taste.
9. Add the chicken to the pan and with the spice mixture.
10. Pour 11/4 cups of water, cover and cook in a moderately hot oven for 1 hour. 
11. Sprinkle the saffron in the remaining garam masala powder and coriander leaves before serving
    murg musallam.