Whole Chicken Dum Style

Whilst in Malaysia recently I picked up this recipe. It is amazing. The chicken is cooked in a claypot which can be purchased from Asian food stores. It is a specialty of the Maharaj restaurant.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 kg chicken, whole

• Stuffing

• 50  g ghee
• 5  g ginger, julienned
• 1  g cumin seed
• 1  g fennel seed
• 5  g chili powder
• 250  g  minced chicken
• 25  g cashew nuts
• 10  g  glace cherries
• 10  g raisins
• 25  g coriander leaves, chopped
• 1  egg, hard-boiled

• Gravy

• 150  g ghee
• 50  g  ginger-garlic paste
• 250  g onions, ground to a paste with water added
• 1  star anise
• 3  g cloves
• 5  g cardamom
• 5  g cinnamon
• 3  g fennel powder
• 5  g cumin powder
• 10  g chili powder
• 3  bay leaves
• 100  g cashew nuts paste
• 50  g almond paste
• 50  g pistachios, paste
• 500  ml water

Directions

1. To make Chicken:.
2. Heat ghee in wok, add ginger, cumin, fennel and chilli powder.
3. Fry until fragrant, add minced chicken and stir until cooked.
4. Add rest of ingredients except egg, stir-fry a few minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
5. Stuff boiled egg into cavity of chicken, followed by handfuls of stuffing until cavity filled.
6. Place chicken in claypot.
7. Pour gravy (instructions follow) over chicken and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
8. Seal claypot with a layer of foil then claypot lid ensuring no steam can escape.
9. Place claypot in preheated oven of 120 Degrees C and slow cook for 2 hours.
10. Once cooked remove chicken from claypot and serve whole with gravy poured over or you can carve it and serve with gravy and stuffing on the side.
11. To cook Gravy:.
12. Heat saucepan over low heat and add ghee.
13. Add ginger and garlic paste, onion paste, dry spices and bay leaves.
14. Mix well and stir-fry until fragrant.
15. Add nut pastes, continue stirring a few minutes before adding water.
16. Bring to boil and turn off the heat.