
Murg Banjara
Chicken pieces are steeped in a zesty ginger-garlic rub followed by a rich, spiced yoghurt marinade, then grilled on skewers and basted with butter until tender and lightly charred.
First marinade paste
5 gStirred with lemon juice and salt in step 1Second marinade spices
18 gWhisked into the yoghurt mixture in step 2Everything else
Method
- In a shallow dish, stir together the first marinade paste, 30.6 g lemon juice, and 0.3 g salt. Rub the mixture thoroughly over 850 g chicken legs, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 240 g plain yogurt, 125 g roasted gram flour, 81 g mustard oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons chopped herbs, salt to taste, and the second marinade spices. Remove the chicken from the first marinade, discard any excess liquid, and coat the pieces thoroughly in the yoghurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Prepare a charcoal barbecue or preheat an overhead grill (broiler) to medium. Thread the marinated chicken onto metal skewers set above a drip tray to catch any juices, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until nearly cooked through.
- Suspend the skewers over a tray away from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes to let excess moisture drain. Brush the chicken generously with melted butter to taste and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes until fully cooked and nicely browned.
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Chicken leg

Chicken drumstickUse the same weight; smaller, so reduce cooking time by 5–10 minutes and check at the bone.
Chicken thighUse the same weight; boneless thigh cooks faster by 5–10 minutes. Juicier and less bony.
Chicken piecesUse the same weight; bone-in pieces give similar richness. Adjust time by size.

Butter

Unsalted butterUse 100% of the weight. If the original recipe relies on salted table butter, add a pinch of salt to balance.
GheeUse 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 oilUse 80% of the weight for frying or tempering. The dish loses sweet dairy richness but remains glossy and light.

Garlic paste

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

Ginger paste

Fresh gingerUse equal weight; peel and grate very finely on a microplane or pound to a fine paste in a mortar.
GingerUse equal weight; mince finely and crush with the flat of a knife before frying.
Ground gingerUse 20% of the weight; add directly with the dry spice powders, though it yields an earthier, less pungent profile.

Lemon juice

Lime juiceUse equal volume or weight; delivers almost identical sharp acidity with a faintly more aromatic, bitter-edged profile.
Dried mango powderUse 25% of the weight (about 1 g amchoor for 4 g juice); provides clean fruity tartness without thinning the sauce.
White vinegarUse 75% of the volume; gives direct sourness without any citrus floral fragrance.

Plain yogurt

YogurtUse equal weight, whisked thoroughly until smooth before adding to hot dishes to prevent curdling.
Coconut milkUse equal weight with 1 teaspoon lemon juice mixed in. Provides rich creaminess in curries, but adds a noticeable coconut flavour.
Single creamUse 80% of the weight plus a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity. Enriches sauces nicely, though it is richer and less tangy.

Peanut paste

PeanutFor 100 g paste, grind 70–80 g roasted peanuts with a little water until smooth; add water gradually.
Cashew pasteUse the same weight; it is creamier and milder, so reduce any added cream or sugar slightly.
Almond pasteUse the same weight; it is sweeter and thicker, so loosen with a little water or stock.

Amchoor

Lemon juiceUse 15 g (1 tbsp) for every 5 g of amchoor. Stir in at the very end off the heat; adds liquid and fresh citrus aroma rather than dry fruity tang.
Tamarind extractUse 75% of the weight, dissolved in a splash of warm water. Simmer briefly; darkens the gravy and provides a deeper, caramelised sourness.

Chilli powder

Red chilli powderUse 100% of the weight. Provides direct, sharp heat and red colour in equal measure.
Kashmiri chilli powderUse 150% to 200% of the weight if matching colour, but add a pinch of black pepper or hot chilli if you need equivalent fiery heat.
Cayenne pepperUse 75% to 100% of the weight. Offers a sharp, clean heat with slightly less earthy depth and less crimson colour.

Coriander paste

Coriander leavesUse the same weight, blend with a little water to a paste. It is fresher and brighter; add a little less water to the dish.
Coriander (cilantro) stemUse the same weight, blended with water. It gives a stronger, slightly earthier flavour, so use a little less if the stems are mature.
Basil leavesUse the same weight, blended with a little water. It is sweeter and more aniseed-like, so use in dishes where that change is welcome.

Mustard oil

Peanut oilUse equal weight. It handles high-heat cooking well, but lacks the signature pungent, nasal heat of mustard oil.
Vegetable oilUse equal weight. Neutral in flavour, so your curry will lack the characteristic Bengali or North Indian pungent punch.

Vinegar

White vinegarUse 100% of the weight directly. It delivers an identical sharp, clean acidity to curries and marinades.
Lemon juiceUse 100% of the weight. Add towards the end of cooking off the heat; introduces a fruity citrus aroma rather than pungent acetic sharpness.
Tamarind extractUse 75% of the weight diluted in a splash of warm water. Gives a rich, fruity sourness and darkens the gravy.
Similar dishes

- Same: Murg Methi Tikka also uses grilled chicken marinated with ginger, garlic, lemon juice, chilli powder, and mustard oil, finished with butter.
- Different: It uses chicken breasts instead of legs and adds fenugreek, green chillies, and chickpea flour, while omitting the amchoor and vinegar found in this dish.

- Same: Both recipes feature chicken seasoned with ginger, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
- Different: Kali Mirch ka Murg is a pan-cooked curry made with onions, black peppercorns, and vegetable oil, omitting the yogurt, chilli powder, mustard oil, amchoor, vinegar, and grilled skewer preparation of this dish.

- Same: Both dishes cook chicken with plain yogurt, ginger paste, and garlic paste.
- Different: Murg Kali Mirch is prepared as a stovetop curry using onions, vegetable oil, and cracked black pepper, omitting this dish's butter-basted grilling method, mustard oil, chilli powder, amchoor, vinegar, and lemon juice.

- Same: Teekha Murg Tikka is also skewered chicken leg marinated with ginger, garlic, amchoor and chilli powder, then grilled and basted with butter.
- Different: It lacks this dish's yogurt, peanut paste, mustard oil, lemon juice and coriander paste, and instead uses malt vinegar, boiled onion paste, chickpea flour, ajwain, kasuri methi, chaat masala and vegetable oil.



























