Murgh Musallam (Indian Stewed Spiced Chicken)

Ingredients

• For the chicken:
• 600 g chicken
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp red chile powder
• ¼ tsp pepper powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp salt
• For the spice blend:
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 -inch piece cinnamon
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg (jayaphala)
• 1 medium mace javitri
• 1 black cardamom (moti elachi)
• For the curry:
• 8 almonds
• 10 cashews or 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 cups (2 ea.) chopped onions
• 1 large tomato, puréed
• 4 slit green chiles
• 4 tbsp oil or ghee
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chile powder (use more if required)
• 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• 2–3 cups water
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and wash well.
2. Marinate chicken with remaining ingredients for 1–4 hours.
3. Dry roast all the ingredients until light brown and aromatic.
4. Allow to cool then grind into a coarse powder.
5. Soak almonds and cashews in water for 10–15 minutes. Peel almonds.
6. Grind the almonds and cashews into a smooth paste, adding 1–2 tbsp water if required.
7. Heat 2–3 tsp oil in a pan or wok. Add chopped onion, and sauté until golden brown. Allow to cool, then grind into a paste, trying not to add water.
8. Heat oil or ghee in a pan or wok. Add onion paste, green chili, and ginger-garlic paste, then sauté until onion paste leaves oil.
9. Add marinated chicken pieces, and mix well. Cover and cook for 5–6 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
10. Mix in the red chili powder, prepared spice blend, and tomato puree. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until oil starts to floats on the surface.
11. Add water, and cook for 3–4 minutes over medium heat.
12. Mix in the nut paste, mint, and salt. Cook until gravy becomes thick and oil starts to float.
13. Remove from the heat, and stir in the coriander leaves.