Ingredients
1 - 2 kg chicken
225 gms ghee
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp roasted coriander
1 tsp black cumin seeds
25 gms root ginger, grated
3 tbsp plain unsweetened yoghurt
225 gms tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp saffron strands
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander leaves
Marinade
7 cloves garlic, crushed
15 gms root ginger, grated
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp unsweetened yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
Stuffing
225 gms long-grain rice
100 gms shelled peas
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 cloves
6 black peppercorns
1 brown cardamom
4 bay leaves
Method
1. Combine the marinade ingredients to make a paste. Make small cuts in the chicken flesh. Rub the paste all over the chicken and in the cavity. Leave for 2 hours.
2. Place the stuffing ingredients in a large saucepan with plenty of lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until the rice is half cooked. Drain the rice mixture and stuff the chicken.
3. Heat 120 gm (9 tbsp) ghee in a saucepan and fry the chicken until it is brown all over, taking care not to let the stuffing spill out. Lift the chicken out of the pan, let it drain and set it aside to keep warm.
4. Heat the remaining ghee in a flameproof casserole large enough to hold the chicken. Fry half the onion with the bay leaves, cloves and green cardamoms until golden. Add the turmeric and chilli powder.
5. Grind together the coriander, cumin seeds, ginger and remaining onion to a smooth paste and add them to the casserole. Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate.
6. Mix in the yoghurt, tomatoes and salt. Place the chicken in the casserole and baste it with the mixture. Pour over 300 ml hot water.
7. Cover the casserole and transfer to a preheated oven to cook for 1 hour.
8. Steep the saffron in 150 ml hot water and sprinkle it over the chicken 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Serve hot, sprinkled with garam masala and chopped parsley or coriander.
Image courtesy: Shutterstock
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