Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Kashmiri Murg Kebab
Kashmiri Murg Kebab (Chicken Kebabs)

Kashmiri Murg Kebab

Chicken Kebabs
Non-vegetarian●●●Origin Jammu and KashmirPrep 30 minutes, plus marinating timeCook 10 minutes

Tender pieces of chicken steeped in a rich, velvety cashew and cream marinade, then grilled on skewers until juicy and lightly browned.

Marinade masala

67 gWhisked into the marinade in step 2
Mix the ground cardamom and pastes together into a smooth blend.

Everything else

01
Chicken leg · Tangriskinless, boneless
750 g
poultry
02
Butter · Makhanmelted, for basting
to taste
dairy
05
203 g200 ml
dairy
06
100 g2 eggs
egg
07
5 g2 teaspoons
flour
08
30 g2 tablespoons
souring agent
09
74 g5½ tablespoons
oil/fat
10
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Cut 750 g skinless, boneless chicken into uniform bite-sized pieces (about 4 pieces per portion).
  2. In a wide, shallow dish, combine 5.2 g cashew paste, 203 g single cream, 30 g white malt vinegar, 74.2 g vegetable oil, the marinade masala, the remaining marinade ingredients, and salt to taste. Add the chicken pieces, coating them evenly in the mixture, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  3. Heat a grill, tandoor, or broiler to a moderate medium heat. Thread the marinated chicken onto metal skewers placed over a drip tray, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until about half done.
  4. Remove the skewers and suspend them over the tray for 2 to 3 minutes to drain off excess moisture, then brush thoroughly with melted butter to taste.
  5. Return the skewers to the heat and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred, then transfer the chicken to a dish to serve.

Don't have something?

Chicken leg
  • Chicken drumstick

    Use the same weight; smaller, so reduce cooking time by 5–10 minutes and check at the bone.

  • Chicken thigh

    Use the same weight; boneless thigh cooks faster by 5–10 minutes. Juicier and less bony.

  • Chicken pieces

    Use the same weight; bone-in pieces give similar richness. Adjust time by size.

Butter
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 100% of the weight. If the original recipe relies on salted table butter, add a pinch of salt to balance.

  • Ghee

    Use 80% to 85% of the weight. Ghee is pure butterfat with moisture removed; it yields a deeper, nuttier flavour and handles high heat better.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 80% of the weight for frying or tempering. The dish loses sweet dairy richness but remains glossy and light.

Cashew paste
  • Cashew nut

    Use 100% of the weight. Soak raw cashews in boiling water for 20 minutes, then blend with just enough water to form a silky, thick paste.

  • Almond

    Use 100% of the weight. Blanch, peel skins completely, and blend with warm water until velvety; gravies will be marginally less sweet.

  • Single cream

    Use 80% of the weight. Stir in near the end of cooking over low heat; provides luxurious gloss and fat without the nut solids.

Green chilli paste
  • Green chilli

    Use the same weight, deseed if wanted, and grind with 1 tbsp water; fresher and brighter.

  • Chilli paste

    Use the same weight; may be red and hotter, so adjust.

  • Red chilli paste

    Use 75–80% of the weight; changes colour and heat.

Hung yoghurt
  • Hung natural yoghurt

    Use the same weight. The names are used interchangeably; check seasoning.

  • Greek yoghurt

    Use the same weight. It is thick enough for marinades and raitas, with a slightly sharper taste.

  • Full-fat natural yoghurt

    Use about 175% of the weight and strain through muslin for 3–4 hours to get the same thick weight.

Single cream
  • Whole milk

    Use equal weight, whisked with a small knob of unsalted butter. Simmer gently over low heat to reduce curdling; sauce will be slightly lighter.

  • Clotted cream

    Use 50% weight combined with 50% whole milk, whisked until smooth. Adds intense richness, so stir in at the very end off the heat.

  • Cashew paste

    Use 60% cashew paste mixed with 40% warm water. Creates a silky, luxurious thickening that won't split even under high heat.

Egg
  • Chickpea flour

    For binding, use about 10 g chickpea flour mixed with 20 ml water per egg and rest for 10 minutes. Denser and nuttier; not suitable for baking or coating in the same way.

  • Full-fat natural yoghurt

    Use about 30 g per egg for moisture and binding in koftas or fillings. Adds tang and softness; will not set or glaze like egg.

  • Tofu

    Use the same weight, mashed, for egg-like bulk in curries. Soft and bland; add extra spices and do not expect it to bind.

Plain flour
  • Whole wheat flour

    Use the same weight, add 10–15% more water and rest the dough for 20 minutes; the result is heavier and nuttier.

  • Rice flour

    Use the same weight for crisp coatings; for doughs use no more than half rice flour with wheat flour, or it will be crumbly.

  • Cornflour

    For thickening use half the weight, mixed with cold water; it is not suitable for bread or chapati dough.

White malt vinegar
  • White vinegar

    Use 90% of the weight. It is sharper and lacks the mild malty grain undertone, so temper with a tiny pinch of sugar if needed.

  • Lemon juice

    Use 100% of the weight. Best for marinades or quick chutneys; imparts fresh citrus flavour instead of fermented acidity.

Ground white pepper
  • Ground black pepper

    Use 80–100% of the weight. Darker and sharper; reduce slightly if you do not want extra heat.

  • Black peppercorn

    Grind the same weight fresh; same darker, sharper result.

Green cardamom pod
  • Green cardamom seed

    Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.

  • Ground green cardamom

    Use 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 pod

    Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Ginger paste
  • Fresh ginger

    Use equal weight; peel and grate very finely on a microplane or pound to a fine paste in a mortar.

  • Ginger

    Use equal weight; mince finely and crush with the flat of a knife before frying.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 20% of the weight; add directly with the dry spice powders, though it yields an earthier, less pungent profile.

Garlic paste
  • Garlic

    Use equal weight; crush or finely grate to a smooth pulp to replicate the same fresh, pungent moisture in your base gravy.

  • Garlic powder

    Use 20 to 25% of the weight; mix with a teaspoon of water before adding to oil so it does not burn, noting it lacks the fresh bite.

Dried rose petals
  • Rosewater

    Use 1 to 2 drops per gram of dried rose petals. Add right at the end of cooking off the heat; highly aromatic, so measure carefully to avoid a soapy finish.

  • Screwpine water or rosewater

    Use a few drops off the heat. Imparts a sweet, floral aroma to biryanis and desserts without botanical flecks.

Similar dishes

Murg ke Parche
Chicken Fillet Kebabs
Murg ke Parche is sharper and more pungent with fresh chilli heat and mace, whereas this dish is milder, tangier, and creamier.
  • Same: Both are skewered and grilled chicken kebabs prepared with ginger paste, garlic paste, green cardamom, butter, and vegetable oil.
  • Different: Murg ke Parche adds green chillies, mace, black cumin seeds, and coriander, but lacks the cashew paste, single cream, and white malt vinegar used in this dish.
Khatta Murg
Sour Chicken
Khatta Murg tastes sharper and more herbaceous than this dish because its lemon juice and mint stuffing give it a sour, piquant edge, while this dish is creamier and richer from cashew paste, cream and yoghurt with only a mild vinegar tang.
  • Same: Khatta Murg shares with this dish the use of chicken, hung yoghurt, single cream, green chilli paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, ground white pepper, green cardamom and salt.
  • Different: Khatta Murg stuffs chicken breast with spring onion, ginger, green chilli, mint and black cumin and braises it in a yoghurt-cream sauce with almond paste and lemon juice, while this dish marinates chicken leg with cashew paste, egg, plain flour, white malt vinegar, dried rose petals and vegetable oil and grills it on skewers.
Murg Banjara
Spicy Chicken Legs
Murg Banjara tastes more sour and hot from lemon, amchoor and chilli powder and more nutty-mustardy from peanut paste and mustard oil, while this dish tastes creamier and milder with cashew, cream and rose.
  • Same: Murg Banjara shares chicken legs, a yoghurt marinade with ginger and garlic, skewer grilling, and butter with this dish.
  • Different: Murg Banjara uses plain yogurt, peanut paste, mustard oil, lemon juice, amchoor, chilli powder and coriander paste, while this dish uses hung yoghurt, cashew paste, cream, egg, flour, vegetable oil, white malt vinegar, green chilli paste, white pepper, cardamom and rose petals.
Murg ke Soole
Boneless Chicken on Skewers
It tastes smoky and tangy from lemon and vinegar with fried onion sweetness and ghee, while this dish tastes creamier from more cream and has rose and cardamom notes.
  • Same: Both are skewered chicken dishes with hung yoghurt, cashew paste, cream, garlic, green chilli, white pepper, vinegar and salt.
  • Different: It uses boneless thigh, far more cashew paste, fried onion paste, egg yolk, cinnamon, coriander, black cumin, lemon juice, chickpea flour and ghee and is charcoal-smoked, while this dish uses chicken leg, whole egg, plain flour, green cardamom pod, dried rose petals and vegetable oil and is grilled on skewers.