Ingredients:
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 cups Basmati rice
4 chicken breasts**
1/2 large onion -- minced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
8 ounces plain yogurt
1 pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup milk
*** SPICE MIXTURE ***
1 teaspoon red chile powder* -- medium heat
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ginger, powdered
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/2 salt (or to taste)
6 cardamom seeds -- peeled
4 bay leaves -- dried, crushed
1 lump tamarind pulp, marble-sized
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves |
Preparation:
* Do not use chili powder, which contains other spices. Use a pure powdered chile from cayenne or New Mexico chiles.
** skinless and boneless and cut into 3/4" pieces
Put the milk into a cup and add the saffron and stir. Set aside at least 30 minutes before using.
Place all spice ingredients (including salt and tamarind pulp) in spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes and then drain and rinse until clear water comes off rice. Cook rice in large pan in 8 cups of water. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
In a frying pan, heat oil or ghee and sauté the onion and garlic until golden. Add chicken and spice powder and stir-fry until chicken is done, about 6 minutes.
Drain rice and place back in large pan. Add the saffron-milk mixture and mix rice until uniform color. Add the chicken, onion, garlic and spice mixture and the yogurt to the pan and mix gently until well-blended with all the rice.
Place the rice into a glass baking dish and bake in a 350F oven for 40 minutes.
Serve immediately as a main course or side dish. |
