Murgh Methi Malai Kebab.

This delicious melt-in- your mouth appetizer will steal the thunder out of your meal!!!! Succulent chicken chunks wrapped with cheese, fresh cream, broiled dried fenugreek leaves, and freshly grounded spices, grilled or barbecued sprinkled with lemon juice, accompanied with Onion laccha salad and mint -coriander -yogurt chutney.

Preparation Time: 00 Hrs 20 Mins

First Marination Time– 35 minutes.
Second Marination Time– Overnight in a refrigerator covered with cling wrap or minimum 03 Hours in a refrigerator covered with cling wrap.
Cooking time: 00 Hrs 20 Mins

Serves: 04

Category: Non-Veg

Cuisine Type: Indian

Ingredients & Quantity

Chicken leg without skin, boneless- 500 gm. cut into 02 inch cubes

First Marination:

Ginger paste- 01 tbsp.

Garlic paste- 01 tbsp.

White pepper powder- 01 tsp.

Green cardamom powder- ¼ th tsp.

Salt-02 gm.

Raw papaya paste- ¼ th cup (It is a tenderizer)

Second Marination:

Green chillies- 04 nos.

Fresh coriander leaves- 03 tsp.

Cheddar cheese, grated- 05 tbsp.

Corn flour- 02 tsp.

Fresh cream- ½ cup

Hung curd- ½ cup

Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi), broiled- 1 ½ tsp.

Nutmeg powder- ½ tsp.

Mace powder- ½ tsp.

Salt- To taste.

For basting the chicken pieces: Pure ghee/ Melted butter / Canola oil- 1 ½ tbsp.

For Sprinkling: Lemon Juice- 01 no. & Chaat masala – 1/4th tsp. (Optional)

Method:

1. First Marination Time- 35 minutes.
   Second Marination Time- Overnight in a refrigerator covered with cling wrap or minimum 03 Hours in a refrigerator covered with cling wrap.
   Oven Temperature: 425˚F.
2. For the first marination:
   Clean and wash chicken pieces thoroughly.
   With a kitchen napkin / paper kitchen towel, pat dry the pieces to remove excess of moisture in it.
3. In a glass bowl, combine the chicken pieces with ginger & garlic paste, green cardamom powder, salt, pepper and raw papaya paste. Mix well. Cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 35 minutes.
4. For the second marination:
   Remove the marinated chicken pieces from the refrigerator and keep aside.
   Coarsely grind green chillies and fresh coriander leaves without water using a mortar and pestle.
5. To this ground mixture add grated cheddar cheese, corn flour, fresh cream, broiled kasoori methi , hung curd, nutmeg powder, mace powder and salt- To taste. Now add the marinated chicken pieces to the second marinate.
6. Keep it covered with a cling wrap refrigerated, overnight.
7. For preparing the Malai Kebab:
   Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and keep aside for 25 minutes.
   Preheat the oven to 425˚F in a grill mode for 10 minutes.
   On a baking sheet, place an aluminium foil sheet.
8. Take the skewer rods and insert the chicken pieces.
   Keep it on top rack of the oven for 10 minutes.
   Drizzle the remaining marinade on them and drizzle little melted ghee / melted butter / Canola oil over the chicken pieces.
9. Once it is done, turn over the skewer rods and keep it for another 10 minutes.
10. For serving the kebabs:
    In a serving plate, serve the kebabs very hot sprinkled with lemon juice and chaat masala (optional) and accompanied with onion laccha salad and mint-coriander-yogurt chutney.

Chef Tips:

1. You may add an egg to the second marination, if you are marinating the chicken pieces for 03 hours and not overnight.
2. I prefer that the chicken be marinated overnight so that it is much juicer, flavourful and aromatic.
3. Drizzling with the leftover marinade and melted pure ghee/ melted butter/ Canola oil keeps the chicken kebabs juicy and tender.
4. You may use a tandoor or barbecue for the kebabs.
5. You may sprinkle a little chaat masala before serving the kebabs.