Chicken and rice soup
Cooking the chicken and rice in broth adds more flavour, and keeps the chicken moist – fluffy rice is the perfect accompaniment
Fega’ata (bottom of the pot chicken and rice)
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus resting
- A little effort
- Serves 6 - 8
Skip to ingredients
- ½ tsp loosely packed saffron threads
- 2 tsp rosewater
- 2 tsp cumin seedsfinely crushed
- 2 tsp coriander seedsfinely crushed
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 black limes1 finely ground, the other broken in half and pips removed
- 1kg chicken thighs (about 8)patted dry
- 100g yellow split peassoaked in boiled water for at least 1 hr
- 3 onionshalved, and each half cut into 4 wedges
- 400g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper)peeled and cut into 5cm chunks
- 1 large plum tomatocut into 8 pieces
- 3 green chillies
- 35g gingerpeeled and finely grated
- 5 garlic clovesfinely grated
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 4 cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 cardamom pods
- 375g basmati ricewashed until the water runs clear, then soaked for at least 20 mins or up to 2 hrs, then drained
- 2 tbsp corianderroughly chopped, to serve
Nutrition: per serving (8)
- kcal492
- fat19.9g
- saturates7.6g
- carbs49.7g
- sugars4.4g
- fibre10.3g
- protein23.5g
- salt1.7g
Method
step 1
Put the saffron, rosewater and 1½ tbsp of hot water in a small bowl. Mix together all the ground spices and ground black lime in a small bowl. Marinate the chicken thighs by mixing them in a medium bowl with half the spice mixture, 1½ tsp of salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
step 2
Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Drain the split peas, then cook them for 15 mins until two-thirds cooked. Drain and put in a large bowl with the onions, potatoes, tomato, chillies, ginger, garlic, the halved black lime, remaining spice mixture, 2 tbsp of the ghee, 1 tsp salt and a generous grind of black pepper, and mix together with your hands.
step 3
Half-fill a 28cm deep-sided, non-stick pan with water. Bring to the boil with 2½ tsp of salt, then add the cloves, bay, cardamom and rice. Boil for 4 mins, then drain through a large sieve. Rinse and dry out the pan.
step 4
To assemble, spread 1 tbsp of ghee around the base of the clean pan. Spread with half the potato mixture, then top with the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Top evenly with the remaining potato mixture, then spoon over half the saffron water. Now top with the rice and aromatics, without compressing, and spread it carefully so as not to break apart the grains. Pour over the remaining saffron water and the final 1 tbsp of ghee. Top with a clean tea towel, followed by the lid, bringing the ends of the towel up and over the lid and securing them with a rubber band or by tying them together.
step 5
Cook over a medium-high heat for 15 mins, rotating the pan halfway. Then, turn down the heat to low and leave to cook, undisturbed, for 1 hr 45 mins. Remove the lid and towel, and let settle for 10 mins. Put your largest platter over the pan and, in one swift movement, invert the whole thing onto the platter. Lift off the pan and shake the platter to distribute everything nicely. Don’t worry if a few bits stick to the base of the pan – spoon these onto the rice. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve.
