Chicken Akhni

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken 2 cups of uncooked rice 2 onions 3 cinnamon sticks4 cloves3 cardamom pods (lightly bruised)1 teaspoon cumin seeds1 - 2 whole green chilli4 large tomatoes (grated or boiled and then liquidised) (up to 6, depending on the size of your tomatoes) 3 large potatoes cut into 4 pieces. 1 tablespoon red ginger garlic paste (adjust to your heat preference) 1 tablespoon coriander powder 1 tablespoon cumin powder ½ to 1 teaspoon tumeric Chilli flakes to taste Salt

METHOD

Braise 2 onions in a splash of oil/ghee (Clarified butter) with whole spices, until light brown. (you do need a sufficient amount of oil/ghee (Clarified butter) for aknee) Add wet and dry powder spices and toss for a few seconds.Add chicken pieces and salt.(I use 1 teaspoon for this stage. Adjust to your discretion🌸)Braise chicken on medium high heat until the Colour changes. Reduce and cook until all the water releases and oil surfaces. You may add a splash of water to assist with this step. Add tomatoes and potatoes. (I add about 1 level teaspoon salt at this stage. Adjust to your discretion🌸) Close pot and allow to cook. You may add a splash of water to assist you in this step. (usually after the tomato water has evaporated) Add 3 - 4 cups of water and bring to a rapid boil. Add rice and salt. (general rule is to add 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of rice) {{{P. S if you have a delicate rice and a lot of gravy, add 2 to 3 cups of water. Or else add 4 cups of water. If you have a very firm rice, consider boiling it seperately first, until half-done, before adding it to the main pot.}}} . To continue:Allow to boil on high heat for a few minutes. Once the rice surfaces (but there is still sufficient water) reduce to medium. Once the rice has completely surfaced, reduce heat to low. Gently lift your rice to release from the bottom of the pot to avoid scorching. Give it a final steam. If you're cautious about scorching, you may do the final steam in the oven (160C) until all the water has absorbed, or in a wonderbag for an hour. If at the end you feel that you may not have added enough ghee (Clarified butter) at the beginning and that your rice is a little dry, you may blob generously with butter or ghee (Clarified butter), melt through and toss. . Plate in a large serving dish (if you can manage, find those 3 cardamoms and discard before plating 😉😊) . Serve with a salad, achaars, fried pappadoms and dhai (coriander, green chilli, garlic, cumin, salt blitzed together with sour milk and poured over the rice)

POSTED ON

26 Aug 2020

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