Murg Mussallam

Ingredients

 * 10 flakes garlic (crushed)
 * 2 tbsp grated ginger
 * salt to taste
 * 1 cup curd or plain yogurt
 * 1 tbsp lemon juice
 * 1 chicken
 * 1 cup long-grain rice
 * ¾ cup shelled peas
 * 6 bay leaves
 * 1 cup ghee
 * 2 large onions (finely chopped)
 * 225 g / ½ lb tomatoes (peeled and sliced)
 * 2 cups hot water
 * 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Spices

 * 2 tsp garam masala powder
 * 1 tbsp turmeric powder
 * 8 cloves
 * 6 black peppercorns
 * 1 brown cardamom
 * 1 tsp red chili powder
 * 1 tbsp roasted coriander powder
 * 1 tsp cumin seeds
 * ½ tsp saffron strands

Directions

 * 1) Mix three-quarter of garlic with half the ginger, half the garam masala, 1 tbsp salt, ⅓rd of turmeric, half of curd and the lemon juice and mix to paste.
 * 2) Make small cuts in the chicken flesh and rub the paste all over and in the cavity.
 * 3) Keep aside for 2 hours.
 * 4) Half cook the rice with peas, remaining garlic, 4 cloves, peppercorns, ½ tsp salt, brown cardamom and 4 bay leaves and water and use to stuff chicken.
 * 5) Heat the ghee in saucepan and fry the chicken until brown all over, being careful not to let the stuffing out.
 * 6) Drain the chicken.
 * 7) In another pan fry half onions in the remaining ghee with 2 bay leaves, remaining cloves and green cardamoms, until golden.
 * 8) Add the remaining turmeric and chili powder.
 * 9) Make a paste grinding together the coriander and cumin seeds and the remaining onion and grated ginger.
 * 10) Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate.
 * 11) Add the remaining curd, the tomato and ½ tsp salt.
 * 12) Add the chicken to the pan and baste with the spice mixture.
 * 13) Pour over 300 ml / 1¼ cups of water, cover and cook in a moderately hot oven (200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6) for 1 hour.
 * 14) Steep the saffron in the remaining garam masala powder and coriander leaves before serving murgh musallam.