Baked Sajji Chicken#Improv

Sajji Chicken is a popular dish of Balochistan.  This is a whole baked chicken with caramelized onions with a stuffing of nutty  rice.  It's a specialty of the nomadic tribes.  This chicken preparation  has a flavorful spice mix.  

It's an excellent party dish which absolutely delicious.

Ingredients 

For the  Chicken Marination
1 Whole Chicken With Skin ( about 11/4 Kg)
3 Tablespoons Heaped Ginger Garlic Paste
3 Tablespoons Vinegar or lemon juice
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
Salt to taste

For the Sajji Masala 

To Dry Roast and then powder
2 Dried Red Chillies
2 Brown Cardamoms
2 Teaspoon Dried Pomegranate seeds/ Anardana
2 Teaspoons Cumin seeds
1 Teaspoon Saunf/Fennel seeds
1 Teaspoon Coriander seeds
1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns

For Nutty Rice
2 Medium Onions - sliced
¼ Cup Cashew nuts
¼ Cup Raisins
¼ Cup Blanched Almonds
Whole Spices
½  Teaspoon Cumin seeds

8 Black peppercorns 
2 Brown Cardamom 
3 Cloves 

1 Stick Cinnamon
1 Chicken Stock Cube
2 Cups  Basmati Rice
Salt to taste 

¼ Teaspoon Yellow food color
1/3 Cup Oil

2 Boiled Eggs

Method
For the  Chicken Marination

Mix all the given ingredients  in a bowl, rub the  whole  chicken with the  marinade  inside and out very well.  Cling wrap and leave it overnight in the refrigerator to marinate.

Roast each spice separately till it releases an aroma and then powder them in a spice blender to fine powder. 

Sajji Masala is ready.

Next morning take the chicken out from the refrigerator and place it in a big Pyrex dish along with the marinade. Rub half of the ground spice mix all over chicken, cover and and leave it out for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter.

Preheat oven to 175°C. Cover the  dish with an aluminium foil and bake it for an hour.  

As the Chicken is getting baked let's make the

For Nutty Rice  

Wash and soak rice, keep it aside

In a big pot/vessel  heat oil, fry all the nuts and raisins till the are light golden.  With a slotted spoon remove them  on to a kitchen towel .  Now  fry  onions, until golden brown. Once the onions are golden brown, add all the whole spices and saute them for a minute.  

Drain out the water from the rice, a fry for a minute then add double the quantity water, stock cube, salt to taste, food color, stir  lightly and bring it to a rolling boil.  Let it boil on high flame for2 - 3 minutes, lightly give it a stir. Cover and let cook for about 20-25 minute or till the rice is done still firm. Let is cool a little and then fluff it with a fork. Keep aside.

After an hour take out the chicken, spread the cooked rice all around it and stuff some in the cavity, along with the boiled eggs and half of nuts and raisins. Drizzle some olive oil over chicken,  sprinkle the remaining  spice mix over the chicken. Bake at 175°C for  another 15-20 minutes uncovered.  Serve Sajji Chicken  hot with a sprinkle of the remaining nuts and raisins.  I served this in a big platter with blanched french beans.

Enjoy this juicy and perfectly Baked Sajji Chicken!!!

Labels : Whole Chicken, Chicken, Baked,  Nuts, Raisins, Balochistan, Rice, Egg, Improv Cooking Challenge, Main course 

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