MURGH E NAUSHIJAAN

This recipe is a delicacy invented by Chef Dutta of HHI Bhubaneswar, India and uses traditional Awadhi techniques. The chicken is marinated overnight with specially selected herbs and almond gravy, sealed in a clay casserole and cooked “Dumpukht” style which means very slow cooking.

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken (whole without skin)                                                            1kg
• Almonds                                                                                                50gm
• Chjiroli                                                                                                   50gm
• Cooking cream                                                                                     100ml
• Coriander powder                                                                               25gm
• Desi Ghee (Indian clarified butter)                                                   100gm
• Garlic                                                                                                      50gm
• Ginger                                                                                                     50gm
• Kashmiri Mirch powder                                                                      to taste
• Kewra water                                                                                          few drops
• Khoya (reduced milk)                                                                          50gm
• Onions                                                                                                   200gm
• Salt                                                                                                          to taste
• Yoghurt                                                                                                  150gm
• Fresh black pepper powder                                                              to taste                                                  
• Garam Masala powder                                                                        few pinches
• Mace                                                                                                      few pieces
• Coriander leaves                                                                                  1 sprig

METHOD

1.       Clean and wash chicken and cut into pieces.

2.       Make garam masala powder by grinding clove, cinamon, bay leaf, dry rose petals, big cardamom, green cardamom, mace and coriander seeds.

3.       Make ginger garlic paste.

4.       Slice onions and fry it in refined oil till golden brown.

5.       Fry Ciroli and Cashew nuts, blanch almonds & peel the skin.

6.       Make paste of Ciroli, Cashew nuts, almonds, brown onions & Khoya. 

7.       Now place chicken in a bowl, add orange red colour, salt to taste,  ginger garlic paste, whisked Yoghurt, brown dry fruits paste, coriander powder, Kashmiri mirch powder, desi ghee, & cooking cream. Leave the chicken in marinade for around 1 hr.

8.       Place chicken in a heavy bottom pan/Indian Kadhai, sauté for some time till chicken is cooked and the gravy is thick & semi dry.

9.       Now place two pieces of burning charcoal in a small steel bowl and place it over the gravy, place a few mace pieces over the charcoal, add a spoon of Indian desi ghee and cover the casserole/kadhai. Smoke it for approx 15–20 min.

10.   Add black pepper powder (to taste), Kewra water and garam masala and garnish it with cooking cream and chopped coriander .