Kozhi Nirachathu (Stuffed Chicken)

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken       --   Around 1.5 to 2 kg
Turmeric Powder --   1 tsp
Chilly Powder        --   4 tbsp
Lemon Juice           --   2 tbsp
Salt                             --   as required
Water                        --   as required to prepare the marinade

Egg Masala:

Eggs                            --   1 or 2 per chicken, depending upon the size of the eggs.
Onions                        --   3 medium sized
Green chillies          --   3 - 4
Ginger                        --   1 tbsp,thinly sliced
Garlic                         --   1 tbsp,thinly sliced
Curry Leaves          --   1 sprig
Turmeric Powder --   ½ tsp
Chilly Powder        --   1 tsp
Coriander Powder --   1 tbsp
Cashews                   --   10 - 12, broken into pieces
Salt                              --   as required
Oil                                --   2 tbsp

Gravy:

Onions                       --   4 medium sized
Green chillies         --   3 - 4
Ginger                       --   1 tbsp,thinly sliced
Garlic                        --   1 tbsp,thinly sliced
Curry Leaves         --   2 sprigs
Tomato                    --   2 medium size
Turmeric Powder --   ½ tsp
Chilly Powder       --   2 tsp
Coriander Powder --   1 tbsp
Garam Masala      --   1 tsp
Fennel Powder     --   2 tsp or 1 tsp fennel seeds
Coriander leaves --   a handful, chopped
Salt                            --   as required
Oil                              --   2 - 3 tbsp

Preparation:

Clean the chicken and make shallow cuts on the breast and thighs. Marinate the chicken with the ingredients in the marinade section and keep it covered in the refrigerator for minimum of 2 hours. You can also leave it overnight.

Boil the eggs and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cashews and fry until they are golden brown. Remove the cashews and keep aside.Now add the thinly sliced onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and salt and saute until the onions are translucent. Then add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder. Saute until the raw smell goes off. Add the fried cashews and boiled eggs. Mix well and keep aside.

Stuff the chicken with this mixture. It is easy to insert the eggs first and then the masala. Tie the chicken legs together with a twine. This helps to hold the stuffed masala in place. Tie the wings too.

In a large frying pan, add 2 - 3 tbsp of oil. Shallow fry the chicken in medium heat, flipping on all sides, until all the sides are light brown. Remove the chicken and drain on a paper towel.

In the same pan, add the thinly sliced onions, slit green chillies, ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until the tomatoes are squishy. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and fennel powder. If using fennel seeds, add them in the oil initially before adding the onions and let it splutter. Saute until the raw smell of the powders goes off.

Add water if required, just keep in mind that water oozes out of the chicken while baking and add water at this stage only if required to cook the onions and masalas. Add the coriander leaves and garam masala and mix well. The gravy is ready.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread half of the gravy on to a baking tray and place the chicken on the masala. Spread the remaining masala on the chicken.

Tightly cover the tray with aluminum foil. Place it in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.