Indian Style Stuffed Roast Chicken - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (3 lb) whole chickens
1 teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon warm milk
2 ounces butter
for the prepared stuffing
1 large onion, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, and chopped
1/3 cup dried apricot, soaked till soft and chopped
2 fresh green chilies, chopped
1/3 cup sultana
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup white poppy seeds, ground
for the masala gravy
4 spring onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
6 green cardamoms, split open
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
5 fluid ounces water
1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Preparation

Mix together the saffron and nutmeg into the milk. Brush the chicken skin with the mixture and then pour the remaining milk into the body cavity.
Melt the butter in a large pan and when hot brown the chicken all over, remove the chicken and set aside for stuffing.
Using the same pan, in the remaining butter fry the chopped onions chillies, and sultanas, for 3 minutes Remove from the heat.
Add the ground almonds, poppy seeds, apricots and eggs.
Stuff the chicken with the mixture.
In the same pan fry all off the masala ingredients over low heat for 4 mins, add the water and stir well.
Place the chicken on the bed of masala, cover the pan and cook over medium heat till chicken is tender, about 1 1/4 hours.
Serve the chicken with the masala gravy poured over and garnished with the coconut.