Chicken Jelly (Aspic)

Ingredients

• 2 whole Whole chickens (tender) (Meat should be removed from bones and minced finely. Approx 3 lbs of meat.)
• 12 cups Water (Originally '3 seers'. Used for boiling the chicken.)
• 2 whole Eggs (Used for clarifying. You will use the whites and crushed shells.)
• 2 teaspoons Lemon juice (Originally '2 small spoons'.)
• 6 pinches Dry tea leaves (Used for color and clarification.)
• 1/4 teaspoon Green cardamom (Crushed. Quantity estimated from historical context.)
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (Crushed/grated. Quantity estimated.)
• 1 piece Cinnamon stick (Small stick, broken into pieces.)
• 4 whole Cloves (Quantity estimated.)
• 2 tablespoons Sherry (Or to taste. Added after cooling.)
• 1 tablespoon Brandy (Or to taste. Added after cooling.)
• 1 cup Hot water (Originally '1 pasher'. Used for second extraction.)

Instructions

1. 1Clean and dress the chickens thoroughly, removing heads, feet, and innards. Wash the pieces slightly. Remove the meat from the bones and mince it very finely (like keema).
2. 2Place the minced chicken in a tinned pot (or stainless steel) and pour in 3 seers (approx. 12 cups) of cold water. Use your hands to break up the meat so it is loose and not clumped. Cover the pot and place on a slow fire. Simmer gently, uncovering occasionally to stir, until the water evaporates and reduces to about 4 pashers (approx. 4 cups or 1 quart) of soup.
3. 3Mash the meat thoroughly using a potato masher. If you don't have one, place a tinned sieve over another vessel, pour the mixture in, and press down hard with a saucer or lid that fits inside the sieve to extract all the juice. Return the dry meat residue (chuncha) to the pot, add 1 pasher (approx. 1 cup) of hot water, mix well, and press again to extract any remaining juices. Discard the dry meat residue.
4. 4Allow the extracted soup to cool completely. Once cold, the fat will rise to the top. Carefully remove all the greasy fat (chikas) using a feather or spoon. Strain the soup again to ensure it is perfectly clean.
5. 5To the cold, degreased stock, add the clarifying ingredients: 2 fresh eggs (whites and crushed shells), 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 6 pinches of dry tea, crushed cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon pieces, and cloves. Whisk everything together well. Place on the stove and bring to a boil, then simmer gently to clarify the stock (the egg whites will gather the impurities). Strain through a jelly bag (flannel or muslin cloth) until the liquid is crystal clear. You should have about 4 pashers (4 cups) of clear jelly.
6. 6Once the clear jelly has cooled slightly (but is not yet set), stir in sherry and brandy to taste. Pour into a mold and place on ice or in a refrigerator to set completely.