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Mughlai murgh musallam (decadent whole roast chicken)
Serves 4-6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1.5kg whole chicken
- 3-4 large eggs
- splash of screw pine (pandan) essence (optional)
For the marinade
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
- juice 1⁄2 lemon
- 1⁄2tsp salt
- 1⁄2-1tsp chilli powder
- 1tsp ground turmeric
For the masala
- 20 raw blanched almonds, plus extra to garnish
- 150g Greek-style yoghurt
- 2tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
- 4tbsp oil
- 4 cloves
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 5cm cinnamon stick
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2tsp garam masala
- 2tsp ground coriander
- 2tsp ground cumin
- 2 pinches saffron threads
Method
First marinate the chicken. Line a large roasting tin with heavy-duty foil (use two layers if necessary), leaving enough foil around the edges to securely wrap the chicken. Place the chicken in the middle and use a sharp knife to make incisions in the bird at regular intervals.
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Slather the marinade all over the chicken and wrap it in the foil, sealing it well. Chill overnight. When you’re ready to start cooking, return the chicken to room temperature while you make the masala.
Blitz the almonds with the yoghurt and poppy seeds, if using, into a thick cream and set aside. Pour the oil into a medium pan and place over a high heat. When hot, toss in the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. As they sizzle up, add the sliced onions and sauté for 5 minutes until coloured, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 10 minutes until golden.
Now add the tomatoes, garam masala, coriander and cumin. Cook this for another 5 minutes over a high heat, then lower the heat and simmer until oil oozes to the surface.
Stir the almond cream through the masala and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until you see oil oozing out again and the colour returns. You want a thick coating for the chicken. Stir in the saffron and add salt to your taste – 1tsp should be sufficient. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
When the masala is cool enough to handle, uncover the chicken by carefully opening up the foil. Smother the chicken with the masala, reseal tightly with the same foil and place in the oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, take the chicken out of the oven and open the foil carefully to baste it with the juices collecting on the bottom of the foil, then loosely reseal it. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Place the eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and let them bubble for 6-8 minutes. Rinse them under a cold tap and peel them gently.
Place the chicken on a platter, pouring the juices over it. Garnish with the eggs and the remaining almonds, roughly chopped. Finish with a splash of screw pine essence, if using.
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