For as long as I can remember, I have always craved my Mum's Murgh Methi.
It is a long tradition which begins with buying bunches of fresh fenugreek leaves with roots intact. I have always known Mum to spread the lot over a newspaper where she would then separate the leafy tips from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens.
It is a process that is quite time consuming and I would often help as a kid which also encourages long mother-daughter chats over some hot chai.
As I watch her repeat this over some 40 years, I realize that somethings have not changed. She painstainkingly seperates the leaves in preparation for lunch just as she always has. She may be a little slower and in her face I see remnants of the stunningly beautiful woman I remember as a kid. That woman has now given way to an older, graceful and elegant woman she is today.
We're very different in the kitchen - mom and I. She calls me a hurricane. My mom on the other hand never rushes. She does everything with care following the rituals she always has. Watching her cook makes me smile. It reminds me of simpler times when perhaps everything wasn't on a deadline and it was alright to spend a couple of hours slowly in preparation for lunch.
It seems as though in my life, multi-tasking has become second nature. My mother wouldn't dare, especially when it comes to her signature murgh methi.
Make no mistake, she is isn't the only one who makes murgh methi. In fact you'll often find this on restaurant menus and in homes where everything from heavy cream, tomato puree to half the spices from the pantry are emptied into the pot. And the result in my humble opinion, is far from gratifying.
Mum uses none of that. She is a purist and with just a handful of ingredients and her signature technique - slow-slow sauteing, she achieves what I believe is one of her finest contributions to chicken.
Gather the ingredients,
1 qty 4 lbs whole chicken or 2 smaller chickens, 2-3 large bunches fresh fenugreek leaves, 3 yellow onions, 2-inch fresh ginger root, 2-3 Thai green chillies, 10-12 cloves peeled garlic, 1/2 cup ghee.
Spices: 2 qty 1" cinnamon bark, 4-5 cloves, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground turmeric and 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
Prepare the ingredients,
Chicken: Skin the chicken and discard. Cut and separate pieces at the joints. Cut each breast into 3 pieces. You can also ask your butcher do this for you.
Fenugreek: Separate the leafy tips from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens. Just before using wash thoroughly and drain all excess water.
Onions: Peel and discard ends. Finely slice lengthwise and set aside.
Garlic: Crush and finely chop. Set aside.
Ginger: Wash and finely chop. No need to peel.
Green chillies - Chop into circles and set aside.
In a large saute pan or a chicken fryer, heat the ghee on medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves and black pepper corns.
As soon as they sizzle, add the onions and ginger. Saute for 10-15 minutes until softened but not brown.
Add the the garlic, chillies and ground spices and saute for a minute or so.
Add the chicken and saute for about 10 minutes or so until the chicken is no longer pink but opaque.
Mound the fenugreek leaves over the chicken and allow to wilt by stirring off and on to help.
The fenugreek will release copious amounts of water. Lower heat to medium heat and saute for the next 30-40 minutes until all excess water has evaporated and the fat begins to simmer around the edges.
Taste and adjust seasonings and increase to medium-high heat. Saute for another 10 minutes or so until the onions are caramalized, the fenugreek leaves break down and the chicken is a nice golden brown.
Serve hot with rotis, naan or whole wheat pitas in a pinch.
Recipe for
Murgh Methi
Preparation time : 30-40 minutes
Cooking time : 1 hour
Serves 4-6
Shopping list
1 qty 4 lbs whole chicken or 2 smaller chickens
2-3 large bunches fresh fenugreek leaves
3 yellow onions, 2-inch fresh ginger root
2-3 Thai green chillies
10-12 cloves peeled garlic
1/2 cup ghee
Spices:
2 qty 1" cinnamon bark
4-5 cloves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
Prepare the ingredients,
Preparation:
Chicken: Skin the chicken and discard. Cut and separate pieces at the joints. Cut each breast into 3 pieces. You can also ask your butcher do this for you.
Fenugreek: Separate the leafy tips from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens. Just before using wash thoroughly and drain all excess water.
Onions: Peel and discard ends. Finely slice lengthwise and set aside.
Garlic: Crush and finely chop. Set aside.
Ginger: Wash and finely chop. No need to peel.
Green chillies - Chop into circles and set aside.
Method:
In a large saute pan or a chicken fryer, heat the ghee on medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves and black pepper corns.As soon as they sizzle, add the onions and ginger. Saute for 10-15 minutes until softened but not brown.
Add the the garlic, chillies and ground spices and saute for a minute or so.
Add the chicken and saute for about 10 minutes or so until the chicken is no longer pink but opaque.
Mound the fenugreek leaves over the chicken and allow to wilt by stirring off and on to help.
The fenugreek will release copious amounts of water. Lower heat to medium heat and saute for the next 30-40 minutes until all excess water has evaporated and the fat begins to simmer around the edges.
Taste and adjust seasonings and increase to medium-high heat. Saute for another 10 minutes or so until the onions are caramalized, the fenugreek leaves break down and the chicken is a nice golden brown.Serve hot with rotis, naan or whole wheat pitas in a pinch.
Enjoy!
