One of the most complicated rice-based dishes, made a little easier… Originally from ancient Persia, nowadays very popular for special occasions in India as well as Pakistan.
Ingredients (for 2)
- 3 chicken thighs
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 red tomatoes
- 1/4 cup white yogurt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ginger
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tbsp mint
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp saffron
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- chili, salt & black pepper to taste
Directions
- Remove skin from chicken thighs, de-bone and chop into pieces
- Chop the tomatoes and finely dice the onions, and set them aside
- Heat vegetable oil (or ghee) in a large skillet and stir fry onions and crushed garlic clove until golden brown
- Add ginger (grated), turmeric, cumin, chili, cloves and black pepper, and sauté the spices over medium heat for 1 minute
- Stir in the tomatoes, yogurt and mint, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 5 minutes
- Add the chicken pieces, a pinch of salt and a sip of water, give it a good stir, and cook over low heat (covered) for 30 minutes, until tender
- In the meantime, wash the rice thoroughly in a colander and place it in a deep saucepan
- Add chicken stock, cardamom, cinnamon and saffron; stir, cover and cook at very low heat until rice is tender (stir frequently and add more stock if necessary to keep it moist)
- When ready, spoon the rice onto your serving platter, layer the chicken on top and sprinkle with some fresh cilantro
Tips from the Chef
- It is very important to cook rice and chicken separately with their own spices, and layer them together only in the end
- Try using ghee (clarified butter) instead of vegetable oil for a more authentic flavor
- If individual spices are not available, you can use garam masala powder
Cambooza 