Chicken and Cardamom Rice

This is why I love cooking. You can think you've got it under control, think you're pretty flavor-savvy, and then boom. One day someone suggests that you mix in a little olive oil with your yogurt to make a sauce and it's like an entirely new world opens up. 

But seriously, guys. You have absolutely GOT to try this recipe. After hearing about its popularity with other fans of the fantastic Jerusalem cookbook, I decided I wanted to try it. And it completely blew my mind. This dish is everything; complex, sensual (yeah, I said it), exciting and deeply satisfying. As my mom said as she dug in, "Every bite gives you a different flavor." Make this and you will feel proud of yourself when it's done.

First of all, it's genius in that it's essentially a one-pot stop, which is always a plus in my (lazy when it comes to dishes) book. The chicken is marinaded quickly and braised in a large cast iron skillet; spices and caramelized onions are thrown in followed by rice, more spices, and then everything cooks together until it's perfect and jaw-droppingly good. The comfort and tenderness and flavor of the chicken is a perfect companion to the wildly addictive rice, which is sweet and aromatic and unlike everything you've ever tasted. Seriously. Try this chicken. Now.

Chicken and Cardamom Rice (from Jerusalem)

3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons barberries, or use currants
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 1/4 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 cardamom pods
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
2 long cinnamon sticks, broken in two
1 2/3 cups basmati rice
2 1/4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves chopped
1/2 cup dill leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/3 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons olive oil

Put the sugar and scant 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the barberries, and set aside to soak. If using currants, you do not need to soak them in this way. Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan for which you have a lid over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has turned a deep golden brown. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and wipe the pan clean.

Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and season with 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper. Add the remaining olive oil, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and use your hands to mix everything together well. Heat the frying pan again and place the chicken and spices in it. Sear chicken for 5 minutes on each side and remove from the pan (this is important as it part-cooks the chicken). The spices can stay in the pan, but don’t worry if they stick to the chicken. Remove most of the remaining oil as well, leaving just a thin film at the bottom. Add the rice, caramelized onion, 1 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Drain the barberries and add them as well. Stir well and return the seared chicken to the pan, pushing it into the rice.

 

Pour the boiling water over the rice and chicken, cover the pan, and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, remove the lid, quickly place a clean tea towel over the pan, and seal again with the lid. Leave the dish undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Finally, add the herbs and use a fork to stir them in and fluff up the rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot or warm with yogurt mixture (in the original recipe they say that the yogurt sauce is optional, but I say it is NOT!) Enjoy, and thank me later.