Topic: Making Curry With Whole Chicken?

[Peripatetic Phil]

I have seen and ordered / eaten in a couple of Indian restaurants (ok one is Nepalese) a dish called Kulchi Chicken which is a whole chicken - has to be ordered 24 hours in advance - which is cooked with Keema mince inside, whole eggs, spiced coating / sauce etc.  Brilliant dish

I used to eat this in Orpington (restaurant name forgotten, and no longer there), where they called it "Murgh e massalam"; before ordering it for the first time, I asked (as it was expensive) if it was a dish for two.  "Oh no, Sir", the waiter said, "just for one".  You can imagine how surprised I was to see a whole spring chicken as the basis of the meal !  It was served bone-in, of course, not de-boned.

** Phil.

[Gav Iscon]

I have seen and ordered / eaten in a couple of Indian restaurants (ok one is Nepalese) a dish called Kulchi Chicken which is a whole chicken - has to be ordered 24 hours in advance - which is cooked with Keema mince inside, whole eggs, spiced coating / sauce etc.  Brilliant dish

I used to eat this in Orpington (restaurant name forgotten, and no longer there), where they called it "Murgh e massalam"; before ordering it for the first time, I asked (as it was expensive) if it was a dish for two.  "Oh no, Sir", the waiter said, "just for one".  You can imagine how surprised I was to see a whole spring chicken as the basis of the meal !  It was served bone-in, of course, not de-boned.

** Phil.

This is what we usually have when we go to our local restaurant for Christmas Dinner for which we've been doing for quite a few years now. Really Nice ! and the inclusion of a few roast potatoes and a few sprouts on the side give it that xmas touch. 

[Peripatetic Phil]

This is what we usually have when we go to our local restaurant for Christmas Dinner for which we've been doing for quite a few years now. Really Nice ! and the inclusion of a few roast potatoes and a few sprouts on the side give it that xmas touch. 

So where do you live, Gav ?  A good murgh-e-mussalam is worth travelling a few miles for ...
** Phil.

[chonk]

Ali quoted "when I was working the kitchens back in the late 80s/90s, when the base ran low, they'd top it up with water and throw in a couple of whole chickens and sometimes lamb as well". Take from that what you will.

I think this is probably one of the best kept secrets of the BIR kitchen.  And nobody is ever going to admit to this because of the outcry from the non meat eaters, that their curries may have been prepared with a gravy containing some meat products which is not easily discernable  .  And i don't doubt that this is common practice in some establishments across the country  :

I'm not sure, but could it be against the law, to sell vegetarian or vegan meals, that aren't vegetarian at all? I believe to remember some trial against McDonald's because they used animal fat for the fries.

And doesn't a traditional "Murgh Makhani" get prepared with parts of whole chicken, instead of finely chopped pieces? Always believed so.

Greetings!

[Gav Iscon]

So where do you live, Gav ?  A good murgh-e-mussalam is worth travelling a few miles for ...
** Phil.

In that delightful seaside hamlet of Whitley Bay. I'll try and find out what they call it but it sounds like what you've said, both in name and description. They only seem to do it now for xmas day with a whole chicken. The last one was the best yet and they also do something similar with a whole leg of lamb. I'll ask next time I'm in for the names. Its surprising how busy the restaurant is for xmas day I have to say.

[Peripatetic Phil]

In that delightful seaside hamlet of Whitley Bay.

Ah.   324 mi, 5 hours 35 mins.  Just a tad too far, even for a murgh-e-mussalam.  Worse, I can't even find a decent version on the web.  Ah well ...

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Worse, I can't even find a decent version on the web.

But now I can