Murgh Lazeez

You know sometimes when you eat something the flavour remains with you forever. That's what happened with me when I ate this dish. My mom cooked this for a party when I was a kid and for some reason I never forgot how tasteful it is. 

Murgh Lazeez is a mildly spiced dry chicken dish. It's got a prominent flavour of saunf (fennel) and that's what makes it different from the regular garam masala chicken dishes we usually eat. 

I like to temper the prepared dish with mustard seeds and curry leaves, although that's optional.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg cut into 8-10 pieces 

Marinade:

Saunf (fennel seeds) - 2 tbsp

Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tbsp

Black peppercorns - 6-7

Cloves - 6-7

Cinnamon - 2" stick

Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp 

Salt - as per taste 

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Thick Curds - 1/2 cup

Oil - 3 tbsp + 1 tbsp for tempering 

Hing (asafoetida) - 1/2 tsp

Sugar granules - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 8-10

Lemon slices (for garnishing)

Method:

1. Grind saunf, jeera, black peppercorns, cloves, coriander seeds and cinnamon. Put this powder in the chicken.

2. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients in the chicken and mix well. Keep refrigerated for minimum 2 hours.

3. In a pressure cooker add oil and let it heat up.

4. Add hing and sugar. Cook the sugar till it turns brown.

5. Add the marinated chicken and cook it on high flame stirring it constantly. Cook like so till the chicken changes colour.

6. Add 1 cup water and put the lid with the whistle on. Reduce the flame to medium. 

7. Cook for 2 whistles. Then turn of the flame and remove the steam by lifting the whistle slightly. 

8. Turn the flame on once again and dry the remaining water. 

9. Prepare the tempering by heating oil and a heavy bottom pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle add curry leaves. Turn off the flame.

10. Transfer the chicken in the serving dish. Pour the tempering all over it.

11. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve hot.