MURGH MUSALLAM FOR THANKSGIVING: SLOW-ROASTED CHICKEN STUFFED WITH MINCED MEAT AND EGGS

 

Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We did too, even if it was different! A big part of the Thanksgiving weekend is planning Thanksgiving dinner! I and my husband are total foodies and love to cook and eat together! My husband loves to cook for not only this festive weekend but for most other festive weekends! And I am happy to be his sous chef and document the journey for my blog! 

We decided to skip the turkey this year and opted for a slow-roasted chicken! Not just any roasted chicken, but a Murgh Musallam! Loosely translated Murgh Musallam, is a very popular Indian dish, which has Mughlai roots! It's a slow-roasted whole chicken(skinless) which has been stuffed with minced lamb/goat/beef and boiled eggs, cooked in an almond-poppy seed- yogurt sauce and finally finished in the oven! If you ever wanted to re-create a dish from the Indian royalty, this would be one of them! You cant miss the decadence in every bite! So if I have you intrigued about this chicken recipe, d check it out below! 

MURGH MUSALLAM:  

SLOW-ROASTED CHICKEN STUFFED WITH MINCED MEAT AND EGGS

Recipe adapted from Vah Re Vah Chef

INGREDIENTS: 

Whole Chicken, skinless: 1

Onions: 1 large: Finely chopped, 1 large/l Sliced

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tbsp

Lam Mince/Goat Mince/Beef Mince: 1 cup 

Cilantro: 1/4 bunch 

Mint Leaves: 1/4 bunch 

Red Chilo Powder: 2 tsp 

Garam Masala: 1 tsp 

Eggs: Boiled: 3-5 

Almonds: Soaked and peeled: 15-20 

Cashew nut: 6-10

Shahi Jeera/Black Cumin Seeds: 2 tsp

Poppy Seeds: 1-2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp 

Coriander Powder: 1/2 tsp 

Cumin Powder: 1/2 tsp

Tomato: 2: Finely Chopped

Plain Yogurt: 1 cup

Sugar: 1 tsp

Raisins: 1/2 cup 

lime juice: 1 tbsp

Saffron Water: 1 tbsp

Canola Oil/Vegetable Oil: 7-8 tbsp

Ghee: 2 tbsp

Black Pepper Powder: 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon Stick: 2 

Lemon: 1 whole for brining 

Kitchen Twine

Salt

PROCEDURE: 

Prepare the stuffing: 

Dry roast the nuts, poppy seeds, and shahi jeera. cool and blend to a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan, and add the finely chopped onion. When the onions start to caramelize add 1/2 tbsp of ginger- garlic paste, half of the mint leaves, minced meat, and cook. When the meat is cooked, then the oil wills tart to leave from the sides of the pan. It should be dry and not have gravy. Keep aside, along with 3 of the boiled egg s for stuffing the chicken later. 

Brine the chicken for a day in saltwater and aromatics of your choice! 

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Then apply the saffron water to it. 

And some salt and red chili powder and message well. 

With a sharp knife, make some gashes on both sides of the chicken,as shown. 

Stuff the chicken with the cooked minced meat and 3 of the boiled eggs. 

Truss the chicken/tie the chicken so that the filling doesn't spill out. 

In an ovenproof pan, heat oil and add the rest of the onion. Once it starts to caramelize then add the rest of the ginger-garlic paste. Add in the tomatoes, garam masala powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and create the base of the gravy! Cook it well, so that it doesn't have a raw smell to it. 

Once you see that the tomatoes have broken down, add in the yogurt and nut mixture. Cook it till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan. 

Then add yogurt and mix well. 

Place the chicken with the breast facing down, and cook it closed with a lid for around 20 minutes. Keep basting it every 5 mins or so, with the gravy. You can also cook it ina preheated oven, at 350 F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the chicken and cook it for another 10 minutes, with a  lid on top. 

Serve the chicken in a large platter with the gravy around it, and raisins, chopped mint, and cilantro sprinkled over. You can slice two of the boiled eggs around it and also sprinkle some slivered almonds for garnish! 

Bon Appetit! 

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CHICKEN PULAO

Its almost weekend and I cant wait for it. Along the middle of the week, I get these food cravings.And a few weeks back, it was this craving for Pulao. Not just any Pulao. Chicken Pulao to be specific. Not Biriyani, but Pulao.

Before we roll on to the Pulao trail, let me share something with all of you. My last Food post, was a Maacher Jhol recipe. All thanks to all of you, it generated good traffic. I had shared it in various places, including a few foodie groups on Facebook. And in one of those groups(which prides itself for being an authority of Kolkattan Food), someone reported my Post as Spam, and I was notified by Facebook. Jealousy can surely take vile forms, I tell you.

Lets come back to our Pulao story, now that I have finished my rant.

Pulao, also known as Pilaf, is an easy rice and meat casserole. It cooks pretty fast and you can really use any protein of your choice, if you want to make it an non vegetarian entree. Or you could even skip the protein, if you wanted. Its fragrant, its wholesome and it packs a punch. I love it, as its a one pot meal. Pretty easy to whip up too, if I might add that.

And as I am not much a fan of the Indian restaurants and their Curry Leaf infused cooking of North Indian classics, I knew , that we had to make it ourselves. Here comes the speed bump though , neither me nor my husband, are great with rice dishes. Its not our forte as with many other food related things. Give us a Kebab challenge and we will deliver . But when it comes to matters of rice, I always send a prayer, hoping it turns out well. If yo have a struggle like mine, then you would understand where we stand.

But cravings are real, and they need to be tended to. The week has to roll by, we need our fuel. Leaving a craving unsatisfied is only going to mess up the foodie dynamics of the week. So I  decided to don my apron and get cooking. And mind you, I have my classes on Wednesday nights, so cooking was done in the afternoon. That actually gave me that window, in case I messed up, I could always get a take out.

I always proteins in my freezer. I pick up these packs of skinless, boneless chicken thighs from Costco, and they are so useful. So two packs of chicken were defrosted and prepped. I cubed them in inch long pieces and marinated them in a simple marinade of yogurt and ginger garlic paste. Marinated for a couple of hours,as I didn't have more time. Feel free to marinate overnight, if you have the time. Then onwards to the stove and let the magic begin. Can I tell you a secret ? I cook my Pulao in Chicken Stock, rather than normal water. I tell you, that it adds so much of flavor.

It came out perfect and was polished off , till plates were squeaky clean. My Pulao prayers had been answered by the Rice Goddess ! I had served it with some Dim Kosha(Dry Egg Curry) .

CHICKEN PULAO : 

Ingredients: 
Chicken : 1 lb : Boneless, Skinless, Thighs- Cubed
Rice: 2 cups. Basmati
Ginger-Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Onion: I large : Sliced finely
Yogurt : 1/2 cup
Salt : To taste
Whole Garam Masala
Bay Leaves : 2 to 3
Chicken Stock or Plain Water
Canola Oil
Garam Masala Powder :1/2 to  1tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp

Procedure : 
Marinate the chicken pieces with hald the ginger-garlic paste and the yogurt.

Wash the rice twice and drain the water. Keep aside.

I cook my Pulao in a Le Creuset dutch oven. Feel free to use any deep bottom Casserole. Remember its a one pot meal.

Fire up the stove, and add oil to your pan. When the oil is hot, add in your bay leaves and your whole garam masala(your aromatics). Once it crackles, add in the sliced onion. Caramelize it, but don't let it get burnt. Onion goes from perfectly caramelized to burnt in less than half a second, I feel.

Add in the marinated chicken, and the rest of the ginger-garlic paste, the dry spices(except the garam masala powder) and salt. Stir well, and cook it , till the chicken is cooked. Make sure it doesn't get burnt.

Once you feel that the chicken is cooked, add in the washed rice,and the garam masala powder. Mix well. Now you can add in hot water, or you can add in Chicken Stock. Check the salt earlier, if you are using Chicken Stock. The ratio for 2 cups of Rice is 3 3/4 cups of hot water or hot stock. Add in the liquid, and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for around 10 to 12 minutes. Check, as different varieties of Basmati cook differently. You could also do the last part of cooking the rice with the meat in the microwave. In that case, transfer the contents to a microwave safe bowl and cover with cling film, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Voila, your Pulao is ready.

Bon Appetit !

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CRAB GHEE ROAST

We were introduced to Ghee Roast, on our last trip to India. We had been to South India, to pay a visit to my husband's extended family. In a bid to try out local food, during our vacations, we chanced upon Crab Ghee Roast. Fresh water crabs cooked in compound butter flavored with spices and a finished off with a touch of molasses. We loved it so much, that we knew we had to find out a way of making it at home. My Husband made it with fresh Dungeness Crabs, as a part of the main course of our Friendsgiving Dinner last year and it was a huge hit. Friends and family who had seen the pictures or were a part of the dinner, kept asking us , for the recipe. Better late than never, as they say.

My knowledge of South Indian food is pretty less. So its always good to find out about all the hidden treasures of the wide spectrum of Indian home cooking. Ghee Roast is a popular item on the menu in the restaurants in Karnataka, as we noted during our travels in South India, last Summer. The gravy is supposed to be dry. The trick is to slow cook, but make sure that it doesn't get burnt. Nothing worse than burnt masala. As the name suggests, its cooked in clarified butter - Ghee. As it has a sizable amount of it, you cant miss this ingredient in the overall flavor. So if you are looking for a healthy recipe, this is probably not a good choice. Its finished off with a touch of Jaggery, which was quite interesting. The sugar helps in bringing all the flavors together at the end.

 I always think of an Entree in terms of what I can pair it with. Ghee Roast pairs well with steamed white rice and large Bourbon.

This recipe is pretty basic and can be applied for a protein of your choice. My husband has made it with boneless skinless Chicken Thighs (cut in cubes) and it tasted pretty well. That's what I like about a recipe, if yo can adapt it to different proteins. If you decide to make it at your home, please do write to me, on how it turned out. Would love to hear back. Hoping you love this, as much as loved it. Its now a very requested Entree in parties we host at home.

CRAB GHEE ROAST : 

Ingredients : 
Dungeness Crab - 1 : Cut and Cleaned
Ghee - 2 tbsp + 1/4 cup + 1 tsp
Yogurt - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 1tbsp
Kashmiri Chilies - Dried - 4 to 5
Jaggery - 1/2 tbsp - Grated
Whole Peppercorns - 10
Cloves  - 8 to 10
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Tamarind Paste : 1 tbsp
Garlic - 5 to 7 cloves
Scallion : 2 tbsp: chopped (use if not using Curry Leaves)
Cilantro : 2 tbsp : Copped(Use if not using Curry Leaves)
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 (Use if not using Cilantro and Scallions)

Procedure: 

Make a marinade of yogurt, turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice and marinate the crab pieces for a couple of hours.

Dry roast the Kashmiri Red Chilies in a non stick pan. Take off the pan and cool them.

Put the pan back on heat and add 1 tbsp of Ghee and put peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, and saute for a minute. Transfer to a blender jar, along with the dry roasted chilies, garlic cloves, and tamarind paste. Add a dash of warm water and grind to a paste.

Add 1/4 cup of Ghee to a non stick pan, and let it heat. Add the marinated crab and cook them on all sides, by turning them once . Be careful when you handle crabs, as you dont want the meat inside to start falling out. Once they are cooked on all sides, transfer them to a bowl.

Put the same pan back o the heat and add 1 tbsp of Ghee.

Add the spice mix you made, along with a few tablespoons of water. Mix well. Cook on medium heat. till the masala starts to separate from the oil.

Add the fried Crabs, and season with salt. Mix well.

 Add in the grated jaggery .

 In a different pan, saute some chopped scallion and chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) in 1 tsp of Ghee, till they are a bit soft. The original recipe, uses Curry Leaves, but Me and my Husband, are not great fans of Curry Leaves. Feel free to substitute these greens with curry leaves , if you prefer that.

Garnish with the scallions and cilantro and turn off the heat Serve warm.

10

MUTTON ISHTOO

I like a good bowl of chicken or goat stew on a cold and clammy day like this. When I refer to stew, the idea of slow cooked meat and vegatables, in a lipsmacking broth comes to mind. Thats the kind of stew my mom used to whip up at home. But then there's another variety of stew which was around when I grew up, n the city I grew up. It was the same goodness of stew, in a Lucknowi or Awadhi avatar. Served with fluffy proofed Khamiri rotis, it was goodness in every bite. That was the ISHTOO.

Kolkata has a large influence of Awadhi cuisine , as one of the erstwhile Nawabs had moved to the city of joy. And with him had come his royal chefs, who brought with them, the secrets of Awadhi cuisine . Hence the Biriyani in Kolkata, is of the Awadhi gharana.

What is the Ishtoo , you might ask? And how is it different from the Stew? As the legend goes, the Nawabs of Awadh were known for their colorful social life and cuisine. There were also known for their mingling with the British colonial rulers. The Awadhi royal chef, they say, was intrigued by the Stew , which was often cooked up at the British kitchens in colonial India. The idea was the slow cook, meat, vegetables, with a dash of butter and black pepper corns. The Awadhi Royal Chefs, decided to create their own spin on it. Thus was born the now famous ISHTOO. They stuck to the basic Stew Principles. Meat, vegetables slow cooked, in a broth. They added their own brand of Aromatics. Whole Garam Masala and bay leaves went to the pot. And with it went copious amounts of Ghee. Yes , you heard that right. Especially when its a Mutton Ishtoo, the slow cooking releases the oil and natural fat of the goat, to add to the goodness of ghee. What you get , is a bowl full of bliss.

Ishtoo is always paired with proofed flat bread - Khamiri Roti or Shirmal are the most iconic pairings. But for those of us, who cant lay their hands on such local bread, then Naan does a great alternative. Its a scarilege to pair Ishtoo with rice or even Parathas. Its how they are meant to paired, so I opted for some Mini Naan.

Its decadent. Its a complete meal in its self. Almost like a one pot wonder, if you ask me.

If you have loved the pictures so far, and want to know how you want to re-create it in your kitchen, then go ahead and check out the recipe.

MUTTON ISHTOO (AWADHI GOAT STEW ) : 

Ingredients : 
Goat on the Bone : 2 lb . Cut into pieces
Ghee : 4- 5 tbsps
Salt
Star Anise : 2
Cinnamon Stick : 1 inch stick
Whole Peppercorns : 10 - 12
Green Cardamom : 4- 5
Black Cardamom : 1
Fenne Seeds : 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds : 1 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder/Paprika : 1 tsp
Onion : 1/2 large - Made into a paste
Ginger Paste : 1 tbsp
Garlic paste : 1 tbsp
Vegetables of Choice - I used Carrots and Potatoes

Proecdure: 

Grind the ginegr, onion - galrlic in a food processor or blender. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

In a deep pan, or a stock pot, add ghee, while on medium flame on your stove top. Once all the ghee is melted, add in your whole aromatics - black pepper corns, fennel seeds, star anise, black and green cardamom, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds,  and let them realease their magic.

Add in the goat pieces, the onion - ginger-garlic paste , potatoes and carrots, salt and red chili powder. Meat on the bone is always tastier. Ishtoo is not supposed to be super hot, but just a slight heat kick. I used Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, which adds more of a color and aroma, and compromises on the actual heat quotient.

Mix everything well. Cover and cook . I baked mine at 350F in a pre-heated oven for around an hour. You can make it on the stove top too.

Check for seasonings.

Dig into a bowl full of goodness.

10

GULAB JAMUN WITH RICOTTA CHEESE - DURGA PUJA SPECIAL

Durga Puja is here again ! Its the biggest socio-cultural-religious festival celebrated by the Bengali speaking Hindus . Its a celebration of the femal Energy, a victory of good over evil. It makes the homecoing of Goodess Durga along with her sons and daughter to her maternal home on Earth , from her abode in the Hiamlayas. Her arrival and stay on Earth are marked with celebrations galore. Tradiionally its a five day festival. For those of us who celebrate Durga Puja, in a different country, different continent, celebrations are a bit different. We celebrate it over a weekend. The time might be a crunch, but we make up for it with the sheer fervor and spirit.

Most Indian festivals have their own culinary connections.   If Durga Puja is here, can Durga Puja food be far behind. We, Bengali, are known for our love of food And these celebrations are a proof of that. I have a detailed post, featuring some of my favorite Durga Puja Food , which features all of the recipes linked in it. You can read about it Here. Durga Pujo ends with Bijoya Dashami. And its customary to greet each other not only with hugs, but also indulge in some festive sweets.  We are all set to celebrate Bijoya today(Sunday) here in the Midwest, so here's something sweet from my kitchen to yours.

Gulab Jamun with Ricotta Cheese.

Yes, you read that right. Who doesnt like to dig into pillowy soft Gulab Jamun. Its a deep fried round dumpling, which is soaked in a cardamom flavored sugar syrup. I have been a fan of it even before I can remeber fromw hen. And no surprise that my three year old, loves them. And of the few Bengali words she uses, she surely will let you know when she wants her "Brown Mishti" (that's what she calls Gulab Jamun).

The shelves of any Indian Grocery Store will have their share of Instant Gulab Jamun Mixes. Somehow I am not a fan of those at all. I like to make my Mishti(Bengali Sweets) from scratch. But I dont mind Hacks along the way. Last year, I had made, Gulab Jamun from bread. You can read about it Here. 

This year, I made them from Ricotta Cheese and Milk Powder. They retained their shape while frying. I had my doubts thought, when I put the first Gulab Jamun in the deep frier. If the oil temperature is too hot, then your gulab jamun will brown from outside, but will remain uncooked inside.They were pillowy soft. They had almost doubled in size after I had soaked them in heir syrup. The speed at which they disappread from my kitchen ,after I had made a batch, spoke volumes of how godo they were.

So here's wishing all of you Shubho Sharodiya - Happy Pujas ! Enjoy the festivities with a sweet bite from my kitchen. Its the perfect dessert for the Bijoya party at your home.

GULAB JAMUN WITH RICOTTA CHEESE : 

Recipe adapted from : Rashmi's Recipes . Thank you Rashmi !

Ingredients : 
For the Gulab Jamun : 
Milk Powder: 1 cup
Ricotta Cheese : 1/2 cup(at room temperature)
All purpose flour : 1/4 cup
Ghee : 3tbsp
Baking Powder: 1/2 tsp
Whole Milk : 2 tbsp
Salt : A pinch
Canola Oil : For deep Frying : 2 -3 cups


For the Syrup : 
Sugar: 2 cups
Water: 2 cups
Green Cardamoms: 7-8
Lemon Juice : 1/2 tsp . I eyeballed mine.

Procedure: 
First prepare the Sugar Syrup. Bring the syrup ingredients to a boil. Simmer till all the sugar is dissolved and the liquid has reduced a bit .

for the Jamuns, mix in the flour, ricotta cheese, milk powder, baking powder, salt in a large mixing bowl. Add ghee , and a splash of milk, and knead it smooth. It makes a gooey sticky dough.

Let the dough rest for around 15 mins at room temperature. It helps firm it up. divide the dough to form small balls. It yields around 24 - 30 Gulab Jamuns. I lined a plate with parchment paper to lay out my dough balls.

If you're using a frying pan to fry your dough balls, then make sure you have around an inch to 3/4 inch of oil in it. I used my deep frier. Keep the oil on medium heat. Dont feel tempted to increase the heat .

Test the tenperature of the oil, by putting a pea sized amount of dough in the oil. If it rises up in around 30-40 seconds, then the oil is right. If it floats up istantly, then the oil is too hot.

Fry the Jamun in batches and drain on a paper lined plate.

Place the warm syrup in a flat deep dish. Soak the fried jamuns in it. They will double in size so make sure that the dish is large enough to accommodate them. Let them soak overnight or at least for a couple of hours.

Bon Appetit ! 

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