High protein recipe: Omar Khayyam Ka Murgh

This delectable chicken recipe from the North West Frontier Province is sure to enthrall your guests at your next dinner party. Start practising it today!

Looking for a delicious yet healthy recipe to entertain your guests this festive season? This Omar Khayyam Ka Murgh recipe by Chef Shadab Ahmed at Sofitel Mumbai BKC is just for you. This whole chicken bathed in spices and herbs will go perfectly well with roti or naan or even rice. Did you know that chicken can help you build muscles, strong bones, relieve stress, boost testosterone levels and promote heart health?

Ingredients

To spread over whole chicken

1 kg Whole chicken

Chilli powder

Salt

Ginger Garlic

Lemon juice

For making the paste

20 g Almonds

50 g Cashewnut

1 tsp Cumin seeds

For making the gravy

Oil

2 Whole cardamom

2 Whole cinnamon

2 Bay leaves

1 Onion chopped

1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste

2 Tomatoes chopped

1 tsp Chilli powder

tsp Cumin powder

tsp Coriander powder

tsp Garam masala

1 cup Yoghurt, beaten

Saffron strands soaked in 1 tbsp water for 5 minutes

Coriander chopped

Method

1. Take a pan or handi and it over medium heat. Add 4 tbsp oil. Add whole cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves and saute for a few seconds.

2. Add the chopped onions and season with salt and saute till translucent.

3. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few minutes.

4. Add chilli powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder and garam masala, combine well and cook for a few seconds.

5. Add tomatoes and cook covered till the tomatoes are mushy.

6. Add the ground almond/ cashewnut /cumin seeds mixture combine well and cook till the oil oozes out of it.

7. Beat the yoghurt well in a bowl using a whisk and add it to the pan and combine well.

8. Add the saffron strands soaked in water, combine well and cook the mixture for a few minutes.

9. Add chopped cilantro and combine well. Taste the gravy, if needed add more salt.

10. If the gravy is too thin add cup warm water to thin it down.

11. Place the whole chicken into the gravy.

12. Using a spatula, rotate the chicken inside the pan, pour some gravy over the chicken.

13. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. After every 5 minutes, make sure to rotate the chicken and pour the gravy over the chicken.

14. After 25 minutes of cooking, using 2 wooden spatulas gently flip the chicken over so that the breast side is upwards now, pour the gravy over the chicken and cook covered for another 15 minutes.

15. After 15 minutes, uncover, rotate the chicken using the spatula, pour the gravy over the chicken and cook for 10 minutes.Total cooking time is 30 minutes.

16. Remove the pan from the heat, cover the pan and let the chicken rest in the pan for 10 minutes.