So how is this imperial cuisine prepared- starting with choosing the ingredients to the finishing touches which makes it a feast even emperors can enjoy.

Origins and Significance

Murgh Musallam (i.e. 1 .whole-chicken) is supposed to be one of the special dishes of the Emperor Muhammed bin-Tughlaq of Delhi, and was subsequently developed in the Mughal and the Nawab houses of Awadh. It was offered as a table companion to elite people as a centerpiece, not just artistry of energy but also of higher statuses, abundance, and celebration.
The conventional cooking is intensive and multi-phasic. It is a combination of marination, stuffing, long-term cooking and heavy gravies. Although the most complex stages of cooking this dish can be reduced using modern kitchens, a true Murgh Musallam is still a culinary masterpiece and an art of love.   

Ingredients: What You Need
The divinity of the Murgh Musallam is the portion of being balanced between spicy flavours, mushy meat and bread stuffing. The following is the list of key ingredients:

For the Chicken:
•1 whole chicken (approx. 1.2 – 1.5 kg), skinless and cleaned
•Juice of 1 lime (for initial rub)
•Salt to taste

For the First Marinade:
•½ cup thick yogurt
•2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
•1 teaspoon turmeric powder
•1 teaspoon red chili powder
•1 teaspoon garam masala
•Salt to taste

For the Second Marinade (optional but recommended):
•2 tablespoons cashew or almond paste
•2 tablespoons fried onion paste
•1 tablespoon poppy seed paste (optional)
•Certain strands of saffron steeped in 2 tablespoons of warm milk

For the Stuffing:
•2 boiled eggs
•100g minced meat (keema) – optional
•1 tablespoon chopped cashews
•1 tablespoon raisins
•1 small onion, finely chopped
•½ teaspoon garam masala
•Salt and pepper to taste

For the Gravy:
•2 onions, sliced and fried till golden
•1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
•2 tablespoons tomato puree
•½ teaspoon turmeric
•1 teaspoon coriander powder
•1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
•½ cup beaten yogurt
•1 teaspoon garam masala
•3 tablespoons ghee or oil
•¼ cup cream (optional)
•1 tablespoon rose water or kewra water

For Garnish:
•Silver varq (edible silver leaf)
•Fried onions
•Slivered almonds and pistachios
•Saffron milk
•Coriander leaves

Step-by-Step Preparation

Step 1: Preparing the Chicken

•Wash the chicken, and dry it.

•Squeeze Lime juice over it and a pinch of salt. Leave to set 15 minutes.

•Marinate the first time and leave at least 1 hour or better still in the refrigerator overnight.

In case you are using the second marinade, use it once the first marinade has dried up and marinate again 1-2 hrs.

Step 2: Preparing the Stuffing

•Saute chopped onions in a small pan until they are golden.

•Add minced meat, salt, pepper, garam masala then cook until it gets brown. Omit meat to make it vegetarian.

•Add raisins, cashews and then, lastly, boiled eggs.

•Wait to cool. Stuff this mixture gently inside the chicken cavity and close the cavity with a toothpick or kitchen twine.

Step 3: Searing the Chicken

•In a deep pan heat 2 tablespoon ghee.

•Put the stuffed chicken in the pan and turn it over with a light pink color on both sides.

•This only assists to trap the flavors and provides a little crust to the skin.

Step 4: Preparing the Gravy

•Add some more ghee in the same pan, as required.

•Put in ginger-garlic paste, cook 1-2 minutes.

•Put tomato puree, fried onion paste and spices (turmeric, chili, coriander powder).

•Simmer till the oil breaks.

•Lower the flame, and add the yogurt into the congruent and continue to stir continuously to make it avoid getting curdled.

•Add a small amount of water or stock so that the gravy can loosen up and cook slowly.

Step 5: Cooking the Chicken

•Carefully put the browned chicken into the gravy.

•Sauce and put the lid on tightly and simmer it 45 minutes to 1 hour on low heat.

•Stir occasionally to stew the chicken in the gravy.

•Bake in a hot oven (180°c) for 15-20 minutes at your option to brown the surface.

Step 6: Final Touches

•Cream, rose water or kewra and saffron milk must be poured over the chicken just before serving.

•Add fried onions, slivered nuts and silver varq as crowning touch.

Serving Suggestions

Murgh Musallam is best served with:

•Roomali Roti or Butter Naan (to complete the heavy sauce).

•A serving of festive bite with Pulao or Zafrani rice Pulao or Zafrani Rice.

•To cool the palate Boondi Raita or cucumber salad.

When mandolined at the table, the stuffed chicken relinquishes the staggers of fragrance and taste providing the diner with a theatrical and palatable moment dine.

 

Tips for Perfect Murgh Musallam

•Marination is Key: Marinate the chicken in at least 6-8 hrs. The longer it snacks, the more it carries the taste.

•Baste Liberally: Basting a bird in an oven or cooker does not take away moisture so there should be liberal basting.

•Go Slow: Slow cooking enables the bird to cook at an equal rate and when stuffed.

•Balance the Heat: It is not supposed to be very spicy. Concentrate on aroma, creaminess and multi-dimensionality.

•Presentation Counts: Serve in a big dish, decorate with abundant trimmings, and cut it at table to most effect.

Conclusion

It is not merely the process of cooking, but it is bringing history to a plate when it comes to Making Murgh Musallam. It requires patience, attention to detail and an occasion sentiment. Regardless of whether it is served at a special occasion or one of the family meals it is astonishing.
Relearning our lost royal recipes, Murgh Musallam is one of the tasty souvenirs of Indian rich and royal cuisine that we need to restore; dish by painstaking effort.