Machboos

Cook it at home: Chicken machboos

Make the broth with the chicken and spices, cook the rice in it, then roast the chicken so the skin crisps. Loomi gives the dish its sour, smoky edge.

Pans and tools

• Large heavy pot with tight lid
• Sheet pan
• Small skillet

You’ll need

• 1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 lb / 1.6 kg), cut into 8 pieces
• 3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp baharat (Gulf spice mix)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 4 cloves
• 3 loomi (dried black limes), pierced a few times with a knife
• 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 green chili, slit (optional)
• 6 cups (1.4 l) water
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 2 1/2 cups (500 g) long-grain basmati rice, rinsed until clear and soaked 30 minutes
• 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup (35 g) raisins and 1/4 cup (35 g) toasted almonds, for the top
• A pinch of saffron steeped in 2 tbsp warm rosewater (optional)

Steps

1. Heat the ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the onions 15 minutes, stirring, until deep golden. Set aside a third of them for the topping.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, baharat, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves to the pot and stir 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken, turn to coat in the spices, and brown lightly 5 minutes. Add the loomi, tomatoes, chili, water and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, skim, cover and simmer 35 minutes until the chicken is tender.
4. Heat the oven to 425F (220C). Lift the chicken onto a sheet pan, brush with a little of the broth and roast 15 to 20 minutes until browned and crisp.
5. Meanwhile, measure the broth: you need 4 cups (960 ml); add water if short. Bring it to a boil in the pot with the loomi and whole spices, add the remaining 1 tsp salt and the drained rice.
6. Boil uncovered until the liquid sinks below the surface of the rice and small holes appear, 6 to 8 minutes. Scatter the cilantro, drizzle the saffron water, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat 20 minutes.
7. Fry the raisins in a spoon of ghee for 30 seconds until plump, and toss with the almonds and reserved onions.
8. Spoon the rice onto a large platter, set the chicken on top and scatter with the onion, raisin and almond mix. Serve with a tomato-chili salsa (daqoos) and yogurt.

Contains: Tree nuts.