Ingredients
- For the crusted rice
-
- 300g/11oz
basmati rice - 1 tbsp
olive oil - 1
onion, finely chopped - 1
garlic clove, finely chopped - ½ tsp ground
cinnamon - ½ tsp sumac (available in Middle Eastern supermarkets)
- 50g/2oz unsalted
pistachios, roughly chopped - 20g/¾oz
currants - 4 tbsp flatleaf
parsley, roughly chopped - 1
lemon, juice only - large pinch
saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp water - salt and freshly ground
black pepper - 50g/2oz
butter, melted
- 300g/11oz
- For the chicken
-
- 75g/3oz
basmati rice, soaked in water - 3 tsp baharat spice blend (available in Middle Eastern stores)
- 4 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into strips
- 1
egg, beaten - 2 tbsp
olive oil
- 75g/3oz
- For the salad
-
- 3
preserved lemons, rinsed, seeds and pulp removed, finely chopped - 4 tbsp flatleaf
parsley, roughly chopped - 2 tbsp
mint, roughly chopped - ½
cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped - ½
lemon, juice only - 2 tbsp extra virgin
olive oil
- 3
Preparation method
-
For the crusted rice, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the rice and cook for four minutes. Drain the rice and refresh in cold water.
-
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan until hot, add the oil, onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.
-
Add the cinnamon, sumac, pistachios, currants and parsley and mix well.
-
Place the melted butter into a pan with a lid and sprinkle over enough semi-cooked rice to cover the bottom. Add the onion mixture to the remaining rice and stir to combine.
-
Add the saffron and its soaking water, the lemon juice, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
-
Add the rice mixture to the pan with the butter and rice, piling it up slightly towards the centre. Cover with a damp tea towel, and seal with the pan lid.
-
Place the pan over a very low heat and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and a golden-brown crust has formed on the bottom of the rice. Take care to keep the heat very low as the rice will burn very easily.
-
For the chicken, place the rice into a frying pan and place over a medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden-brown.
-
Transfer the rice to a pestle and mortar and add the baharat spices. Crush to a powder.
-
Season the chicken thighs with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then dip into the beaten egg to coat completely. Dip the egg-coated chicken into the spice and rice mixture to coat completely.
-
Heat a frying pan until hot, then add the olive oil and chicken. Cook on both sides for 4-5 minutes, until golden-brown all over and cooked through. The juices will run clear when the chicken is pierced in the thickest part with a skewer.
-
For the salad, place all the salad ingredients into a bowl and mix together well.
-
To serve, place a plate over the top of the crusted rice pan and invert to tip the rice out. The crusted base should come with the rice.
-
Spoon equal portions of the crusted rice onto each plate, making sure there are a few crisp crusty pieces over the top of each. Top each with equal portions of the chicken and serve with a spoonful of salad alongside.
James Martin recipes from Saturday Kitchen
Less than 30 mins preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour cooking time
Serves 4
