Khad Murgh
An ancient Rajput hunting-camp technique in which a whole marinated bird is buried in a smoking sand pit lined with hot embers, emerging smoky, tender and infused with earth and fire.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 180 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Earthen pit (khad)
- •Firewood
- •Cloth wrap
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 25 g
- carbs
- 4 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Dig a pit. Build a strong wood fire in it for at least an hour until a deep bed of embers forms.
- 2
Whisk the yogurt with mustard oil, garlic, ginger, chilli powder, carom seeds, garam masala and salt.
- 3
Rub the spiced yogurt mix all over and inside the whole chicken. Let it rest for at least 1 hour.
- 4
Wrap the chicken tightly in muslin cloth (thin cotton). Wrap it again in an outer layer of jute or cloth.
- 5
Push the hot embers to the sides of the pit. Place the wrapped chicken in the centre.
- 6
Cover the chicken completely with the hot embers. Add a layer of sand over them to seal in the heat.
- 7
Leave it alone to cook slowly for about 90-120 minutes using the trapped heat.
- 8
Carefully dig out the chicken and unwrap it. Rest it for 5 minutes before carving and serving smoky and tender.
Chef's tips
Heat the pit thoroughly before burying the bird so the trapped heat cooks it gently. For safety, learn this technique from someone experienced with pit cooking.
Ingredient substitutions
- earthen pit → a heavy Dutch oven buried in hot coals in a barbecue pit (approximation only)
Storage
Best eaten fresh; leftovers refrigerate for a day.
Reheating
Reheat in a covered pan on low heat to retain moisture.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not making enough hot embers, which leaves the meat undercooked.
- •Wrapping the cloth too loosely, which lets sand or ash get onto the meat.
Serving suggestions
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