𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘨 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘮 - 𝘈𝘯 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘺..

You don't need lavish palaces, royal families or royal bloodline to feel royal. You just need good food, good company and a 'Shaahi Andaas'.

I'm sure you might have come across 'Murg musallam' quite a few times in a culinary conversation and some of you might even have tasted it, privilaged ones. Oh yes! They are privilaged ones, for the reason that Murg Musallam is a royal dish. The royal dining table is incomplete without Musallam served. It is a classic mughal dish, some say the word musallam means 'whole' ,and also the word stands for 'prepared from saalim' which means with patience. It is believed that british first brought the recipe of whole chicken to India, and when the whole chicken was prepared in a royal manner with lots of desi ghee, voila, Murg Musallam was born. 

There are stories regarding musallam which says, there used to be Camel Musallam stuffed Lamb Musallam stuffed Murg Musallam stuffed Quail ( Bater) Musallam stuffed with quail eggs. Wow!

All these things are example of culinary wit Awadhi cuisine holds. They always have more to do with the presentation. The dish might visually present you as a savoury dish but turns out to be a dessert. Such is the culinary wit of Awadhi cuisine. 

Here I am presenting the recipe of Murg Musallam

Ingredients:

 For stuffing :

1 whole chicken (Skinless or with skin is your preference)

3 Boiled eggs

25g chicken Kheema

1tbsp ginger garlic paste

1tbsp chopped onion

1tsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin powder

2tsp red chilli powder

1/2tbsp of coriander and mint leaves chopped

Salt

Spice A :

Slow roast below ingredients :

Few peppercorns ( 2tsp)

Few cloves ( 3-4 in number)

Few cardamom ( 3-4 in number )

4tsp desicated coconut

1tbsp Chironji

1tbso Poppy seeds (Khas khas)

Spice B :

2tsp Fried Onion paste

2tsp Black cumin seeds/ Shahi Jeera

2tsp red chilli powder

1/4th tsp turmeric powder

Few strands of Kesar.

Other Ingredients :

1 Cup curd

2tbsp ghee

1/2 cup slices onions 

1cup fried onions

Method :

• Mash 2 boiled eggs with your hands thoroughly. Then add the ingredients mentioned below the stuffing heading. Wrap the Kheema around the remaining whole boiled egg.  

•Slow roast the spices under the heading Spices A until aromatic and grind it.

•Sprinkle salt on the chicken and rub it nicely . 

•Now stuff the Kheema wrapped egg inside the cavity of chicken and tie the chicken legs. You can sew it or just tie the legs using a thread. 

•Then add Spice A into 1 cup curd and also add Spice B into it.  Curd mix is the soul of musallam. 

 

•Meanwhile, take a vessel bug enough to hold whole chicken. Add 2tbsp of ghee, then add 1/cup onion, sauté for 2-3 min. Now keep the whole chicken in the vessels, sprinkle 1/2cup fried onions on top and the curd mixture on it. Wrap dough around the vessel and cook under 'dum' for 45 mins on medium flame. 

•After 45mins when you open the vessel, if the gravy is watery just turn up the heat to high flame and let it cook until the masala coats the chicken evenly. I cooked for 30mins on low flame and ended up with very watery gravy hence I have adviced to cook it on medium for 45mins. Also depends on the vessel. If the bottom of your vessel is thin cook it on low flame. 

•Serve the Musallam by sprinkling fried onions. If you want to give it a royal touch just paste some Silver leaves ( Chandi ka warq) on it. I bet the Musallam will change the outlook of your dining table giving it a royal touch. 

Happy cooking❤️