Yakni Pilau (chicken Rice)

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 chicken
• 4 cardamom pods
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 3 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 onions
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 1/2 cups long grain rice (i use basmati)
• 5 tablespoons ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron strand (i leave this out)
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3 tablespoons rose water
• 1/4 cup sultana
• 1/4 cup fried almonds (optional)
• 1 cup hot cooked green peas (optional)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, halves (optional)

Recipe

• 1 make a well-flavoured stock by simmering chicken in water to cover along with cardamom pods, peppercorns, 2 teaspoons salt and the onion stuck with cloves.
• 2 simmer for approximately 2 hours.
• 3 cool slightly, strain stock and measure out 4 cups.
• 4 remove meat from bones, cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.
• 5 wash rice thoroughly in water, drain in a colander and allow to dry for at least 1 hour (this is optional if you're in a hurry!).
• 6 heat ghee in a large pot and fry sliced onion until golden.
• 7 add saffron, garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• 8 add rice and fry 5 minutes longer over a moderate heat, stirring with a slotted metal spoon.
• 9 add hot stock, garam masala, cardamom, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, rose water, sultanas and reserved chicken pieces.
• 10 stir well.
• 11 cover pan tightly and cook over a very low heat for 20 minutes.
• 12 do not uncover pot or stir rice during cooking time.
• 13 when rice is cooked, remove from heat and stand, uncovered for 5 minutes.
• 14 fluff up rice gently with a fork and place in dish, again using a slotted metal spoon.
• 15 garnish with almonds, peas and eggs.