DUM KA MURGH

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken, weighing approximately 1 kg ¼ kg yogurt 2 bunches coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 bunch mint leaves, finely sliced 4 green chillies, slit Juice of 1 lime ½ cup milk 1 dessert spoon ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp saffron strands A few drops of lemon-yellow food colouring Salt to taste Flour to seal Lighly roast and grind 1 dessert spoon poppy seeds 1 dessert spoon chironjee seeds 1 tsp all-spice

METHOD

Fry the onion slices to a golden brown. Remove onto a plate lined with absorbent paper, and let cool. Mash the fried slices into a crumble and keep aside. Strain the oil into a bowl.

Place the chicken in a deep bowl. To this bowl, add ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, roasted and ground spices, fried onion and the oil. Let marinate for an hour.

Dissolve saffron strands in milk in the meantime.

After an hour, place the chicken pieces on a flat pan or lagan. Add the marinade and sprinkle with the saffron-infused milk. Then, squeeze the juice of a lime and add a few drops of lemon-yellow food colouring. Mix everything well.

Seal the lagan with flour and place coals above and below. Cook on a slow and low flame. If you do not have a lagan, you can place the chicken pieces, marinade, milk, lime juice and food colouring in a thick-bottomed pan or vessel.

Cover with a tightly-fitting lid. Place the pan on the stove, and leave the flame on high for 10 minutes. Then, reduce it to a low flame and let cook for 15-20 minutes. Check the chicken pieces for doneness. Once they are cooked, add chopped coriander and mint leaves and slit green chillies. Leave the chicken on dum for a while, until the oil rises to the surface.

Serve garnished with coriander and mint leaves and, if you wish, more lime juice.