Majboos

 

 

 

Majboos

 

 

This Arabic rice, similar to Indian biriyani and it is much easier to prepare. For Majboos chicken is first cooked and taken out and rice is cooked in the stock. Then chicken is shallow fried or deep fried or baked and put on top of the cooked rice. Dried lime gives a unique taste for this dish.

I have twisted this recipe a bit to satisfy our Indian buds. The given amount will be good enough for six people.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• Chicken -1kg (cut into eight pieces)
• Lemon juice -1 tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Basmati rice-2 1/2 cups
• Knorr chicken bouillon-1cube
• Tomatoes-4 (big)
• Onion sliced-2+1(sliced)
• Garlic crushed-3tsp.
• Ginger crushed-3tsp.
• Butter -1 tsp. (Optional)
• Carrots julienne-1 ½ cups
• Frozen green peas-1/2 cup
• Dried lime -2 nos.
• Saffron soaked in 2tbsp of warm milk-2 pinch
• Olive oil -3 tbsp.
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

 

for grinding

• Whole Kashmiri chilie-4(seeds removed)
• Pepper -1tsp.
• Coriander -3Tbsp.
• Cumin-1 ½ tsp.
• Cardamom-4
• Cloves-4
• Bay leaves-2
• Cinnamon -1 ½ “stick
• Star anise-1
• Mace-1
• Nutmeg powder-a pinch

 

 

 

Method

• Pierce the dried lime with a pin and soak it in hot water.
•  Make slits on the chicken pieces with a knife, marinate it with lime juice, enough salt and turmeric powder and refrigerate for 30 min to 1 hour.
• Grind the masalas and keep aside.
• Wash and soak the rice for 15-30 mins.
• Blanch the tomatoes and make a fine paste.
• Heat 1 ½ tbsp. of oil in a thick bottom deep pan and fry two sliced onions to golden brown.
• Add 2 teaspoon each of crushed ginger and garlic and sauté for 3 mins.
• Add half of the ground masalas and stir till the raw smell is gone.
• Now add the tomato paste, and salt and stir well.
• Put the chicken pieces, Knorr chicken bouillon and mix well.
• Add five cups of water, soaked limes and cover and cook the chicken.
• Take the chicken out of the stock and add the soaked rice to it.
• When the water starts reducing to half add carrots, green peas, soaked saffron and a teaspoon of butter(optional).
• When the water is completely evaporated the rice will be cooked (if not add little more boiling water to it).
• In another pan heat the remaining oil and sauté a sliced onion.
• Then sauté a teaspoon of crushed ginger and garlic.
• Add the remaining ground masalas sauté till the raw smell is gone and add the cooked chicken.
• Stir it in a low flame till the masalas are well coated on the chicken pieces.
• Remove the dried lime from the rice and take it out in a serving plate.
• Put the chicken pieces on top and garnish with coriander leaves