For dinner this evening, I wanted to make a rice based one-pot-wonder with a difference. Something with texture, a punchy flavour and enough visual appeal for even the most cautious junior diner in the family.
I found my edible “pot of gold” in a beautifully photographed and written cookbook called Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottelenghi and Sami Tamimi. It was given to me as a 40th birthday gift by Stephanie, a dear foodie friend who actually suggested the recipe I followed for this evening’s meal – Chicken with Caramelised Onion and Cardamom Rice.
Stephanie manages to regularly dish up this style of enticing, exotic flavoured food to her family even during the working week. Being invited to share a feast in her home is a real treat. Not only for the sensational selection, but because there is so much planning and care that goes into the preparation of all her dishes. Which by the way are served on handmade Scandinavian crockery, almost as appealing as the food itself!
The recipe in the Jerusalem cookbook states that it serves 4 people. I added 50 percent more rice and liquid because my children adore any type of flavoured rice. Even without the extra rice, this recipe is generous. I cooked for only five of us this evening (as two family members were at a school event) and I still found we had leftovers for the next day.
This is also an easy, efficient and impressive dish for a family gathering or party. I can’t wait to make it again!
Chicken with Caramelised Onion and Cardamom Rice
Ingredients
25 g dried cranberries or currants – the recipe calls for barberries, which are sweet-sour Iranian berries. I didn’t have these on hand, hence the substitution with success.
4 x tablespoons olive oil
2 x medium onions finely sliced – I used white onions because that was in my pantry
1 x kg chicken thighs on the bone and with skin, or 1 whole chicken – I used the latter and had my butcher cut up a size 18 chook into 6 pieces, removing the backbone.
10 x cardamom pods crushed
1/3 teaspoon whole cloves – I used 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves because that was in my spice rack
2 x long cinnamon sticks cracked in half to release flavour
300 g basmati rice – I upped this to 450 g
550 ml boiling water – I upped this to 825 ml to complement the extra rice
5 g each of fresh finely chopped parsley, dill, coriander
salt and black pepper
Greek style yoghurt to serve
Heat half the olive oil in a heavy based pan. I used a large, round, shallow Le Creuset cast iron dish. Add the onions and saut̩ over a medium heat with the lid ON for 10 Р15 minutes to caramelise the onions. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Remove the onions to a separate bowl, then add the chicken pieces and the spice mixture that remains in the bowl. Sear the chicken pieces for a good 5 minutes on all sides as this partially cooks the meat.
Remove the chicken to a plate, then add the rice, caramelised onions, cranberries or currants, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Stir well to combine and to coat in the spice-scented oil in the pan. Place the chicken pieces on the rice tucking them in slightly.
If you choose to add extra rice as I did, then grind over just a little more sea salt before carefully pouring in boiling water from the kettle.
Cover with the lid and cook over a LOW heat for 30 minutes. Then, take the pan off the heat, lift the lid and cover with either a clean tea towel or a piece of baking paper (I used the latter). Quickly replace the lid and leave off the heat, for 10 minutes.
When this extra time is up, remove the lid, add the herbs and fluff up the rice with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with a big bowl of thick, slightly sour Greek yoghurt.
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