Stuffed Chicken / Kozhi Nirachathu (Easter Special)

 '' HAPPY EASTER TO ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS & READERS''
Easter is a real wait of 50 days lent to get over and the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with a feast.Easter & Christmas are the long awaited days in our family and friends,relatives visiting homes and when the kitchen fills with only non vegetarian dishes and satiety sets in for a few days by the amount you eat the day (you actually give up non veg dishes for a few days,happens with me..Is it the same with u?)This time I longed to prepare the stuffed chicken and thus have accomplished my long awaited wish.This preparation is the malabar style stuffed chicken ,requires a tedious process(4 stages) and good work time but worth a real try and I have hooked it from my dear friend,Vineetha's 'Ruchi' .She has given a lovely description of the recipe and so thought to try it out.I have followed the recipe exactly and it was a real feast at home with the aroma of stuffed chicken.We enjoyed it with biriyani,but being short of time (the pictures have not done justice,pardon that) other wise it just tasted great n yummy:-)

Ingredients
for marination
Whole Chicken 1 (deskinned,cleaned inside and out)
red chilly powder 1 tbsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
lime juice 1tbsp(optional,not in the recipe)
salt

for stuffing
boiled eggs (de shelled) 2
onion 1 medium sized or 2 small
tomato 1/2 chopped
ginger garlic paste 1tsp
fennel seeds 1/4tsp
red chilly powder 1 tsp
coriander  powder 1tsp
chicken masala 1/2tsp
garam masala 1/2tsp
turmeric powder 1/4tsp
poppy seeds 1/4 tsp
raisins 1 tbsp
cashews 1tbsp
salt
curry leaves
cilantro to garnish

for masala gravy
onion 3 sliced
tomato 1 1/2 chopped
ginger garlic paste 2 tsp
green chillies 3
red chilly powder 1 tbsp
coriander powder 1 tbsp
chicken masala 1 tsp
fennel powder 1 tsp
salt
curry leaves & cilantro

oil 1/3 cup
cooking twine

Method
1 Stage-( Marination) :This can be done the  day before preparation
-Clean the whole chicken,wash under running water ,drain in a colander.Keeps aside.Make gashes over the thicker parts of the chicken.
-Marinate using the marination ingredients inside and out,and keep for 6-8 hours in a refrigerator.

2 Stage -(For stuffing)
-Boil 2 eggs and de shell them ,keep aside.
-Heat 3tsp of oil and fry raisins,cashews.Keep aside.Splutter fennel seeds in the same oil.Add the onions and saute till soft.
-Add the ginger garlic paste and curry leaves.
-Add the tomatoes, and cook till mashed.Add the spice powders,toss well.
-Add the fried raisins &cashews .garnish with cilantro and place the boiled eggs on top.Turn off flame.

3 Stage- (For cooking & baking chicken)
-Stuff the chicken with the stuffing prepared and tie the wings and legs of chicken using a cooking twine so that the chicken holds together.(Don't over fill the chicken stuffing)
-In a large wok ,add 4-5tsp of oil and caramelise chicken til slightly brown on all sides.
-Turn off flame,Pre heat oven to 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F.
-Place the chicken in a tray with breast side down,legs up and cover the chicken with foil and cook for 30-45 minutes covered flipping the sides halfway.(I have broiled the chicken the last 3 minutes,that is strictly optional-so,you can see the leg bones browned in pic)

4 Stage (Prepare Gravy)
-In the mean time ,prepare the gravy.
-Heat the same oil used for frying and saute onions till brown in color.
-Add the ginger garlic paste,saute for  a minute.Then add curry leaves,green chillies,curry leaves,coriander leaves/cilantro.
-Add the tomatoes and spices.Cook till its mashed up and forms  a paste.Turn off flame.

Final assembling
-Pour the gravy over the chicken evenly all over and cook again till 25-30 minutes in the oven at the same temperature uncovered.If you want gravy,then reduce the cooking time.or else you get the dry version of stuffed chicken.
-Run a knife through the chicken to check whether its done or cooked.
-Cut and serve with bread or rice !!

(Just a peep into the stuffing)

NOTES
* Be careful while removing the foil from chicken as its very hot.
* Lime juice addition in the marination adds to soften the chicken.
* I have reduced the last assembling to 15 minutes after applying the gravy on the cooked chickenas we wished a slightly pasted form of chicken.You can completely put it till 25-30 minutes.

(Stuffed with whole cashews & eggs)

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Ramya @ Ramya's Recipes