Moglai Murgh -Whole Chicken with Rice, Moghul Style

Ingredients:-
4 lb. roasting chicken 2 tablespoons almonds 1 tablespoon chironji seeds or pistachios 2 tablespoons white poppy seeds 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon chilli powder, optional 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands 2 tablespoons boiling water 1 cup yogurt Salt to taste 3 hard boiled eggs 2 tablespoons ghee or oil 2 large onions, finely sliced 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint 2 or 3 fresh green chillies, seeded and chopped 1 cup hot water 2 cups basmati or other long grain rice 1/2 cup sultanas or raisins 1/2 cup shelled peas Garnish: silver leaf, optional 1/2 cup almonds or cashews, fried

Method:
Wash and dry the chicken well and with a very sharp knife make slits in the flesh of the breast, thighs and drumsticks to allow spices to penetrate.
In electric blender grind almonds, chironji or pistachios, poppy seeds, caraway and cumin. Combine these with the chilli powder, if used, and the ground coriander and turmeric. Pound saffron strands in mortar and pestle and dissolve in the boiling water, mix into yogurt together with ground spices. Add lei teaspoons salt. Rub this marinade well into the chicken, inside and out, and let it marinate for at least l hour in the refrigerator. Put the hard boiled eggs into the cavity of the chicken and truss the bird, tucking its wing tips under and tying the drumsticks together.

In a large, heavy saucepan, with a tight cover, heat the ghee or oil and fry onion until golden brown. Remove onion from pan and reserve. Scrape excess marinade from outside of chicken, put chicken in pan and . fry on all sides by turning it, taking care not to let it burn. Add the marinade, coriander, mint and chillies, the fried onion and hot water. Allow to come to simmering point, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. While chicken is cooking, wash rice well and soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain in colander.
Carefully lift chicken from pan. Measure stock in pan and add water to make up to 4 cups if necessary. Return to pan, add remaining 2 teaspoons salt and the drained rice and bring to the boil, stirring to scrape any spice from base of pan. Put chicken on top of rice, sprinkle sultanas and peas around it, cover tightly and continue cooking for a further 30 minutes without lifting lid. Serve chicken surrounded by rice and garnished with silver leaf and fried nuts.