Ingredients: Serves 4
- 2 large onions, diced
- 3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon baharat (if you can’t get this combine: 1 tablespoon black peppercorns with 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long), 1 tsp whole cloves, ¼ tsp green cardamom seeds – roasted. Once cooled, add 1 tbsp paprika powder and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, then grind)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp oil
- A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3lbs)
- 1 hot green chilli pepper, de-seeded and diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, diced or a 400g can of diced tomatoes, juices drained
- 2-3 dried limes, several holes punched throughout each one
- 5 green cardamom pods
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)
- 2½ tsp salt
- 600ml chicken stock
- 400g basmati rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Rosewater for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the Dutch oven.
- Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions for about 10 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
- Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.
- Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt.
- Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
- Add the coriander, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.
- Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkle with 1-2 tbsp of rosewater (if available).
- Serve with raita.
