
Hyderabadi Dum Ka Murgh
A Hyderabadi-style chicken curry in which chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices, then slow-cooked in a toasted onion, coconut and nut paste with saffron and fresh herbs. It is rich, gently spiced and aromatic, with mint, coriander and green chilli lifting the finish.
Marinade spices
9 gMixed into the yoghurt for the chicken marinade (step 1)Spice-paste masala
13 gToasted and blended into the spice paste (steps 5 and 7)Saffron water
0.3 gStirred in after the chicken has cooked (step 12)Everything else
Method
- Mix 30 g greek yoghurt with the marinade spices (5.2 g kashmiri chilli powder, 3 g ground turmeric and 0.6 g black pepper).
- Add 750 g skinless bone-in chicken pieces and turn until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
- Dry-fry 150 g white onion, 18 g coconut and 7.5 g cashew in a non-stick pan over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until light brown.
- Add 30 g garlic, 20 g fresh ginger and 5.6 g white poppy seeds from the spice-paste masala; toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool.
- Blend the cooled mixture with the remaining spice-paste masala (5.1 g coriander seeds, 2 g cinnamon, 0.4 g clove and 0.7 g green cardamom pod seeds) and 99.4 g water until smooth.
- Melt 27 g ghee or vegetable oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the spice paste and fry for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the marinated chicken with its marinade and stir well; fry for 7–8 minutes to seal the chicken.
- Pour in 248 g water, season with salt to taste, cover and cook over low heat for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, stirring once halfway.
- Add the saffron water (0.3 g saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp warm water) and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in 2.4 g mint leaf, 2 g coriander leaf and 6 g green bird’s eye chilli, slit lengthways.
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Greek yoghurt

Hung natural yoghurtUse the same weight and whisk smooth; same thick consistency.
Full-fat natural yoghurtUse 1.25 times the weight and strain through muslin for 30 minutes; looser if not strained.
Hung yogurtUse the same weight; virtually identical.

Kashmiri chilli powder

Dried kashmiri chilliGrind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.
Red chilli powderUse 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.
Chilli powderUse one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground turmeric

Ground gingerUse 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.
SaffronSteep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Black pepper

Black peppercornUse the same weight and crush or grind as the recipe needs; whole peppercorn is the same spice.
Ground black pepperUse the same weight; add nearer the end if the recipe calls for whole pepper, as ground loses aroma faster.
Ground white pepperUse about 75–80% of the weight; it is milder and earthier, with less bite.

Bone-in skinless chicken

Skinless bone-in chicken thigh and drumstickUse the same weight; these pieces give a similar lean, bone-in curry.
Chicken on the boneUse the same weight but remove the skin; skin-on pieces make the gravy richer.
Skinless boneless chickenUse about 90% of the weight and shorten the simmer by 10–15 minutes.

Ghee or vegetable oil

Peanut oilUse equal weight; handles high tempering heat well and keeps flavours neutral.
ButterUse equal weight; cook over gentle heat to prevent browning the milk solids too quickly.

Water

StockUse the same weight in savoury dishes; it adds body, so adjust salt.
MilkUse the same weight only in doughs or creamy dishes; it makes the result richer.
Coconut waterUse the same weight in curries or rice; it adds sweetness and a faint coconut taste.

Saffron thread

Saffron powderUse the same weight; it disperses faster, so no steeping is needed. Add directly to warm milk or oil.
Ground turmericUse a tiny pinch for colour only, about 1 g for 0.2 g saffron. It will not give saffron flavour.
Screwpine water or rosewaterUse 1 tsp for a floral scent only. It does not replace saffron's colour or taste.

Mint leaf

Mint leavesUse the same weight; identical herb, just the plural listing.
Dried mintUse 25% of the fresh weight, about 1 g dried for 4 g fresh; crush between fingers. Flavour is stronger and slightly hay-like.
Coriander leafUse the same weight; it gives a fresh green note but not true mint flavour.

Coriander leaf


Green bird's eye chilli

Bird's eye green chilliUse the same weight; heat and flavour are very close.
Green chilliUse 1.5 to 2 times the weight; deseed for less heat. Larger chillies are more watery.
Fresh green chilliUse 1.5 to 2 times the weight; chop finely and adjust heat by tasting.

White onion

Brown onionUse the same weight; it is the closest everyday match, with a slightly deeper sweetness when fried.
Red onionUse the same weight; it is sharper and will tint the dish pink, so cook a little longer for sweetness.
ShallotUse the same weight; it is milder and sweeter, so reduce frying time slightly to avoid burning.

Coconut

Fresh coconutUse equal weight freshly grated or diced. Delivers the identical sweet, milky taste and juicy texture.
Desiccated coconutUse 60% of the weight and soak in hot water or milk for 15 minutes before using. The finished dish will be slightly sweeter and less fibrous.
Dried coconutFinely grate and use 50% of the weight, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes. Yields a firmer chew and a denser, oilier coconut aroma.

Cashew nut

AlmondUse 100% of the weight. Soak in boiling water and slip off skins before frying or grinding; gives a lighter, slightly less sweet richness to curries.
Poppy seedUse 60% of the weight for gravies. Soak in warm water and grind into a fine paste to thicken royal kormas without adding heavy oiliness.
Shelled peanutUse 100% of the weight. Roast, skin, and grind; creates a thicker, earthier texture typical of Maharashtrian and western Indian curries.

Garlic

Garlic pasteUse equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.
Garlic powderUse 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.
ShallotUse 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Fresh ginger

Ginger pasteUse equal weight. Sauté in hot fat until the raw allium smell disappears; slightly wetter, but provides identical warmth and pungency.
Ground gingerUse 20% to 25% of the weight (1 g for every 4 to 5 g fresh). Stir into the gravy; adds peppery heat and warmth, though it misses the crisp, zesty kick of raw root.

White poppy seeds

Poppy seedUse the same weight; grey seeds make a darker paste but taste close.
White sesame seedUse the same weight, lightly toasted; the paste is nuttier and less thickening.
Cashew nut pasteFor 10 g poppy seeds use about 15 g cashew nut paste; it thickens more, so reduce other thickeners.

Coriander seeds

Ground corianderUse 75% of the weight; stir in along with wet masala or tomato purée rather than frying in hot oil, as the fine powder burns instantly.
Cumin seedUse 50% of the weight for tempering in hot oil. Lacks the floral, sweet citrus flavour of coriander, introducing warm, pungent earthiness instead.
Fennel seedUse 50% of the weight in tempering; provides pleasant aromatic sweetness, though noticeably aniseedy rather than citrusy.

Cassia bark

Ceylon cinnamonTrue cinnamon: thinner, papery quills, milder and sweeter. Use about 1.5 times the weight, and taste.
Ground cinnamon (cassia)Use about a third of the weight (0.5 g ground for a 2.5 cm piece), stirred in with the ground spices rather than fried whole, since the powder burns quickly.
Cassia budsUse 60-70% of the weight; stronger and more peppery, so taste before adding more.

Clove

Ground clovesUse 1 g ground for 4 g whole (or 1 small pinch per 2 to 3 whole cloves). Add with spice powders; disperses intense warmth quickly, so use with restraint.
Allspice berriesUse 100% of the weight whole in tempering. Imparts a warm, clove-like aromatic profile combined with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Black cardamom podUse 1 pod for 3 to 4 cloves in whole tempering. Shares a camphor-like warmth and medicinal depth, though it introduces a distinct smoky undertone.

Green cardamom pod

Green cardamom seedUse 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.
Ground green cardamomUse 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.
White cardamom podUse 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.
Similar dishes

- Same: Andhra Kodi Vepudu shares chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, cashew, cardamom, clove, Kashmiri chilli powder and turmeric with this dish.
- Different: It is a dry fry of boneless thigh with tomato, curry leaves and vegetable oil, while this dish is a yoghurt-marinated, slow-cooked curry with coconut, poppy seeds, saffron, mint and bone-in chicken.

- Same: Kolkata Doi Murgi shares with this dish a yoghurt-based chicken curry using turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, onion, garlic, ginger and coriander leaf.
- Different: It uses mustard oil, bay leaf, green cardamom, cinnamon, dried Kashmiri chilli, black pepper and garam masala, while this dish uses ghee or vegetable oil and adds coconut, cashew, poppy seeds, saffron, mint and green bird’s eye chilli in a slow dum-style cook.

- Same: Murgh Musallam shares chicken, a yoghurt marinade, saffron, ghee, onion, cashew, poppy seeds, green cardamom, clove, garlic, ginger, green chilli, mint and coriander with this dish.
- Different: Murgh Musallam uses a whole chicken stuffed with minced chicken, cashews, raisins and boiled eggs and is roasted, while this dish uses bone-in chicken pieces slow-cooked in a toasted onion, coconut and nut paste; Murgh Musallam adds lemon juice, rose water and garam masala and lacks coconut and coriander seeds.

- Same: Tamil Kodi Kura shares bone-in chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chilli, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, green cardamom, poppy seeds, cashew, coconut and coriander with this dish.
- Different: Tamil Kodi Kura adds tomato purée and bay leaf and uses vegetable oil instead of ghee, with no yoghurt marinade, saffron or mint.





















































