A traditional Indo/Pak dish typically served on special occasions. It can be made with chicken, beef, or lamb. Although it is time consuming to prepare, it has an appealing, rich flavor, that makes it worth the trouble. Good served with yogurt salad.
(From the kitchen of Sr. Huma Murad)
4-5 lb chicken cut in small pieces, or 3 lbs beef, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
2 medium onions, sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3" piece of ginger, ground
1/2 cup yogurt
1 - 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
10 green whole cardamom
6 black whole cardamom
2 tbsp black cumin seeds
10 cloves
2 tbsp black pepper
2-4 bay leaves
2 - 2" cinnamon sticks
2 tsp coriander powder
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground mace
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp saffron, dissolved in a cup of hot milk
5 cups basmati rice
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a big pot and add onions. Cook on medium low heat until golden brown. Move onions to a plate and add chicken to pot, turning till brown on all sides. Meanwhile, in a blender, add yogurt, 1/2 of the cooked onion, and the garlic and ginger. Blend, then add to the browned chicken. Add tomatoes, 5 green cardamom, 3 black cardomom, 5 cloves, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp black cumin, 2 bay leaves, and 1 stick cinnamon. Add coriander powder and 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Cook for 1/2 hour on medium heat, stirring frequently. When water is evaporated and chicken is tender, add nutmeg and mace.
Boil rice in 8 cups of water with 2 tsp salt and the rest of the spices. Cook about 10 minutes, drain the water, leaving whole spices with the rice. In a large oven resistant pot, put 1/2 chicken on the bottom and then 1/2 of the rice. Add 1/2 of the lemon juice, 1/2 of the remaining onion, the cilantro and the chilies. Repeat layers. Pour 1/4 cup oil on top along with the saffron/milk mixture. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven. Cover and bake for 1 hours. Serves 10.
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