Murg Musallam Recipe, Awadhi Style Chicken Curry Recipe

June 25, 2015

Rich and juicy, Murg Musallam is a Mughlai style chicken recipe. I cooked this special chicken dish on the occasion of "Father's Day" along with phulkas, jeera rice and vegetable salad. Everyone enjoyed this rich curry dish and No left overs. :)

This recipe need some time to prepare it but the end result is so worth it ! Murg Musallam is a typical North-west Indian chicken or murg recipe which is a favorite among all non-veg lovers and Chicken is always popular in our house. :D

This chicken is delicious curry from Mughlai Cuisine made from fresh spices in onion base thick-creamy gravy, that is mildly spicy and tastes great with Naan or Paratha. The dish was popular among the royal Mughal families of Awadh.

The next time you have a party at home, try this chicken dish with phulkas or any flavored rice and its sure to be a hit. Follow the recipe with step by step process and you have a truly Awadhi style chicken curry to relish.

Prep: 30 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes, Total time : 1 hour

Serves : 3-4 persons

Cuisine: Mughlai

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/2 kg (washed and cleaned)
Large onions - 2 no sliced
Garlic cloves - 2 no sliced
Large tomatoes, pureed - 2 no
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped Ginger - 1/2 tsp
Fresh Cream - 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Oil - 3 tbsp

Dry roast on low flame for 3 minutes:

Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1"
Cloves - 4 no
Elaichi/cardamom - 2 pods
Bay leaf - 1 no

For Marinade:

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curd/yogurt - 3-4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Tandoori Masala powder - 1/4 tsp (optional, I used it in marination the chicken only)
Salt to taste

Note : Adjust the spices according to your taste or If you increase the quantity of chicken, double all ingredients.

Homemade Tandoori Masala

Preparation Method :

1. Put the chicken into a large, deep, non-metallic mixing bowl, add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, all spices 1/2 tsp of salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and tandoori masala powder. Mix well to make the marinade for the chicken. Keep aside for 1/2 hr in a fridge, Meanwhile make other preparations.

2. While the chicken is marinating, Make Roasted Masala Powder :
1) heat a shallow pan or griddle on medium heat and when hot, roast the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaf, elaichi, cumin seeds on it. 2) Stir frequently until the spices begin to turn slightly darker in color. Take off from heat and allow to cool. 3) Grind in a grinder in form of powder

3. Heat a tbsp of oil in a vessel, add garlic and sliced onions and saute for 6-7 minutes till they turn brown. Remove and keep aside.

Once cool, put the fried onions and garlic into a grinder along with above roasted spices and the ginger. Grind to a thick, smooth paste, only adding water as required to facilitate the grinding.

4. Take another pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan and set up on medium heat. Brown only the pieces of chicken (in batches) and the marinade and with water, cook it. When this is done, keep the chicken aside. (don't throw the water , we used the same water in curry)

5. Add 2-3 tbsp of oil (using the same pan you used to fry the onions), when it is hot, add the ground paste you made above. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.

In a grinder, add chopped tomatoes and make a puree of that for curry.

6. Add the tomato puree and spices turmeric powder, salt to taste, red chilli powder. Cook this paste for few seconds till the oil leaves around.

7. Then add the cooked chicken pieces into above paste and add 1/2 a cup of chicken stock (remaining water in which chicken is cooked)

8. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is tender - most of the liquid will have dried up. Add 1 tbsp of fresh cream for more creaminess in the curry, cook for few seconds, switch off the flame.

8. Garnish your Murg Musallam with chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve with Jeera Rice and a salad! Naans also go brilliantly with Murg Musallam!