Murgh Musallam is the most famous dish created by the chefs of the Royal Mughal Kitchens. Murgh Musallam is a Mughal style egg stuffed whole chicken that is slow-cooked in a rich almond, yogurt, and saffron gravy.
PREPARATION:
THE CHICKEN: Unwrap the scrumptious Zappfresh Whole Chicken Skinless.
THE MARINATION: Mix red chilies, turmeric and salt with the ginger and garlic pastes and rub the chicken with this mixture. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
THE FRYING: Heat ghee in a kadhai and shallow fry each bird individually, turning constantly to ensure each is evenly light brown. Remove and keep aside, reserve the oil.
THE FILLING: Peel, wash and finely chop onions. Scrape, wash and finely chop half the ginger, cut the rest into juliennes for garnish. Hard boil eggs, cool, shell and slice 2 for garnish. Blanch almonds and pistachio, cool, peel, make slivers and reserve half for garnish. Chop the cashew nuts. Clean, wash and chop coriander, reserve two-thirds for garnish.
Heat ghee in a kadhai (use the ghee in which chicken was shallow fried), add onions and saute over medium heat until transparent. Add Zappfresh Chicken Keema, ginger and garam masala, bhunno until the mince is cooked (add a little water if necessary). Remove, cool, add the remaining ingredients, except eggs, and mix well. Divide into 2 equal portions.
THE STUFFING: Stuff the abdominal cavity of each bird from the tail end as follows: half of one portion of the mince, a whole boiled egg, followed by the remaining half of one portion of the mince. Then double up the legs, ensuring that the drumsticks cover the opening through which the filling was stuffed and tie firmly with the string.
THE COATING: Whisk the yogurt in a bowl. Dissolve saffron in warm milk. Mix both, add the remaining ingredients, make a paste and apply it evenly on the stuffed chicken.
THE OVEN: Preheat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
COOKING:
Arrange the chicken on a greased roasting tray, spread the remaining coating paste on top, baste (use the ghee in which chicken was shallow fried) and roast in the preheated oven, basting with the drippings at regular intervals, until the coating becomes brown.
TO SERVE:
Remove the tray, transfer the chicken to a silver platter, untie and discard the string. Skim off the fat and pour the drippings on the chicken. Garnish with the remaining ginger, coriander, almonds and pistachio, arrange the egg slices along the border of the platter and serve with Naan or Phulka.