EMIRATI CHICKEN AND RICE (MACHBOOS OR FOGGA)

Emirati Chicken and Rice (Machboos or Fogga) image

Provided by UmmBinat

Time 1h

Yield 2 , 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

half a bone in chicken, jointed in two (breast & wing, and thigh & leg)
1 tablespoon bahrat mixed spice (Baharat Aka Middle East Mixed Spices - the Real Mix, I do not suggest using allspice as a substitute as it will be rather bland)
sea salt
2 1/4 cups chicken stock (I use my own homemade)
1 cup chopped canned tomato
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 whole dried lime (periced a few times with a skewer. Called loomi & noomi Basra, please do not omit this!)
1 small cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 curry leaves
3 tablespoons butter, devided
2 tablespoons dark raisins
3 whole cardamom pods, bruised
1 cup white basmati rice
2 small onions, sliced
2 paper towels, cut in 2
1 lime, cut (for serving)
plain yogurt (for serving)

Steps:

If using the oven method heat to 350°F.
Rince chicken and remove skin.
Rub with sea salt and bahrat.
Gently fry in 1 1/2 tbs butter until browned on both sides.
Transfer to a pot, add light olive oil, stock, crushed garlic, loomi, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and tomato. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile fry slices of onion in remaining butter until soft and browned, remove from heat and add dark raisins to onions.
Taste stock pot for salt.
Rice white Basmati rice until the water runs clear.
Remove chicken pieces from pot and add rice then set them on top of the rice with the onion/raisin mixture.
Bring to a boil and then cover pot and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes.
Once the liquid has been absorbed, arrange the 4 sheets of paper towel around the pot's rim and tightly cover. (This makes for fluffier rice). Also you may bake it in the oven until done from this point which I prefer as I find it cooks the rice more evenly in a greased pan.
Remove from heat and leave to steam, unopened, for 15-20 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot on a platter with lime wedges or halves and plain yogurt.