This method produces really light fluffy rice and I love the sweetness of the onions.
I always remind people to count out the cloves and cardamom pods as we come across them, so no nasty soapy surprises. I could pick them out when serving, but where is the fun in that.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts and the meat from 2 chicken legs or thighs – chopped into 2cm cubes or thereabouts.
2 Onions – peeled and sliced into whole rings
2 tbsp groundnut oil
Pinch of Saffron
10 Cloves
2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 inch Ginger, peeled and grated
3 Garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
1 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Paprika
2 Cinnamon sticks
6 Cardamom pods
2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Lemon juice
200ml Yoghurt
150g Basmati rice, unrinsed
Method
In a small pot put the saffron with approx 10 tsp boiling water and leave to infuse.
Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan and fry the onion slices until golden brown. Remove from pan and drain well on kitchen paper. Set aside.
Grind 4 cloves in a pestle and mortar and then roughly grind 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp coriander seeds, put in a mixing bowl, with ginger, garlic, cayenne, turmeric, paprika, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods, 1 tsp salt, lemon juice, 1/2 the saffron mixture and the yoghurt. Mix well and then coat the chicken in the marinade, leave to marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Use some of the oil from the fried onions to grease a casserole dish (preferably one that can be used on the stove top as well as in the oven with a tight fitting lid – ideally a Le Creuset
Preheat the oven to gas mark 3 (160c).
Bring to the boil 2 1/2 pints of water, add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods and 6 cloves and infuse on a low heat for 5 minutes before adding the rice. Simmer for 10 minutes and then drain, the rice should still have a soft bite to it.
Take a large scoop (approximately 1/4) of the rice and mix it in with any remaining sauce from the marinade. Spread evenly over the meat mixture, and then follow with the remaining rice, pour over the remaining saffron mixture and sprinkle on the onions. Cover the dish with tin foil and the lid. Place on the stove at a medium heat for 5 minutes, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve using a large spoon so you do not mix up the meat and rice. You can leave the dish covered for up to 30 minutes before serving without having to heat it up.
