This Mid-Eastern chicken and rice casserole is intricately, but mildly spiced and rich with flavor of nuts and fruits.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 (3-pound) chicken, quartered
- 2-1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 green serrano (medium-hot) chile, seeded and chopped
- 3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon sea-salt flakes
- 2 onions
- 6 Tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
- 1-1/4 cups basmati rice
- 20 green cardamom pods
- 6 whole cloves
- 1/4 cup blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, blanched and skinned
- 1/2 cup dried mango pieces, raisins or sultanas
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon saffron powder or 2 pinches saffron threads, crushed
- Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Preparation:
Place chicken, stock, chile, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a large, heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until fairly tender. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Pour cooking liquid into a measuring cup and add water if necessary to make 2-1/2 cups.
Quarter onions, then separate into petal-like layers. Add ghee to saucepan and heat until melted. Add onion and fry until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a small plate.
Add rice, cardamom pods, and cloves to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes or until rice is browned slightly.
Return chicken to pan; add almonds, pistachios, mango, coriander, cumin, and garlic. Sprinkle saffron into mixture and cook 2 minutes.
Return stock and onions to pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook, undisturbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Rice should be tender and the liquid completely absorbed. Sprinkle cilantro on top.
Note: Though it is usual to remove the skin when cooking chicken in the Indian way, if you leave it on, the flavor will be richer and even more delicious.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: Chicken From Maryland to Kiev by Clare Ferguson (Ryland Peters & Small)
Reprinted with permission.
Pour cooking liquid into a measuring cup and add water if necessary to make 2-1/2 cups.
Quarter onions, then separate into petal-like layers. Add ghee to saucepan and heat until melted. Add onion and fry until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a small plate.
Add rice, cardamom pods, and cloves to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes or until rice is browned slightly.
Return chicken to pan; add almonds, pistachios, mango, coriander, cumin, and garlic. Sprinkle saffron into mixture and cook 2 minutes.
Return stock and onions to pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook, undisturbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Rice should be tender and the liquid completely absorbed. Sprinkle cilantro on top.
Note: Though it is usual to remove the skin when cooking chicken in the Indian way, if you leave it on, the flavor will be richer and even more delicious.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: Chicken From Maryland to Kiev by Clare Ferguson (Ryland Peters & Small)
Reprinted with permission.
