Maffy's Chicken Machboos

Oh So Scrumptious!

A recipe by Chef Nimish Bhatia. Enjoy an Arabian delicacy in the comfort of your home as you dig into this scrumptious, flavourful dish!

Ingredients
1200 g chicken, boneless
750 g Basmati rice
500 g onions, julienned    
200 g garlic
200 g ginger
100 g coriander leaves
60 g parsley
2 green chillies
150 g mint leaves
300 g tomatoes
20 g paprika powder
3 black lemon
5 g turmeric powder
8 g red chilli powder
2 bay leaves
8 green cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
6 g black pepper
100 ml tomato paste
30 ml salt
600 ml oil
few saffron strands
10 ml rose water
60 g cashew nuts
30 g almonds, blanched
15 g raisins
15 g baharat spice mix
200 g yogurt

Method
Mince the garlic, ginger, green chilli, parsley, mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves.
Soak saffron in rose water, set aside.
Soak the rice.
In a pan, heat some oil and fry the onions lightly brown
Add the minced ingredients and fry well.
Chop the tomatoes and the chilli and add to the pan.
Add tomato paste.
Add green cardamoms, cinnamon, crushed dried lemons, black pepper, chilli powder, baharat spice mix, turmeric powder and crushed bay leaves.
Fry the spices and add the chicken.
Add salt and enough water to cover the chicken.
When the chicken is slightly done, add the rice to the pan and gently stir, adding the remaining coriander, mint and parsley leaves.
Add enough water and cook the rice. Ensure not to add too much water, so that the rice doesn´t soften too much.
Add the saffron soaked in rose water, while continuously stirring gently.
Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
Using a fork, stir once to separate the rice grains.
Ensure that the chicken is intact.
Transfer to a serving bowl.
Take thick yogurt and mix in it mint, cucumber and salt and serve a dollop atop the rice.
In a frying pan, add blanched almonds, raisins and cashew nuts and fry.
Garnish rice with the fried nuts and raisins along with fresh coriander.
Serve hot.