Chicken Machboos (Bahraini Spiced Chicken and Rice)

While I love traditional Middle Eastern food, I also enjoy creating new variations on standard classics.  Recently a dear friend was going back to India for good and he had hosted a grand dinner in one of Muscat's famous restaurant serving authentic Arabic food. A great discussion began in the back of my mind while I dined with everyone & I decided to try it soon at home. Indeed Machboos is a classic chicken & Rice dish loaded with flavor,earthy heartiness, bright colors and textures.

Delicious and Authentic are the 2 words I would love to use to describe this National dish of Bahrain. The combination of freshly prepared middle eastern spice blend(called Baharat)with delicately marinated chicken melts in the mouth and melts all hearts. Try this Rice recipe called Chicken Machboos, also popular in Oman and see it happen for real!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon baharat powder (see recipe below)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3 pounds)
• 1 hot green chile, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 5 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, juices drained)
• 2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one
• 5 green cardamom pods
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 2½ cups chicken stock
• 2 cups basmati rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Rosewater for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)

 

Ingredients for Baharat powder (Middle eastern spice blend)

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds
• 1 tablespoon paprika powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

 

For the Baharat:

 

Set the paprika and nutmeg powders aside. Place all remaining ingredients (whole seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves) in a small frying pan and dry roast over medium-high heat, tossing regularly to prevent scorching, for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant.

 

Transfer to a spice or coffee grinder and let cool. Add the paprika and nutmeg and grind all the ingredients to a fine powder. Store left over baharat in an airtight jar.

 

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Heat the oil in a deep bottomed non-stick vessel over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the vessel.
2. Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the baharat powder and turmeric and cook for another minute.
5. Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon and cloves. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
6. Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has absorbed the liquid.
7. Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater (optional).
8. Serve with a green salad and yogurt raita.

 

 

Yemeni chicken mandi rice

It is terrifying how time flies. I can hardly believe that its mid-April now. The most positive note is that the holy month of Ramadhan is nearing and there is a lot to do before that.

I am just back after an eventful weekend with the kitchen. In every meal I saw to it that I tried to make something new. Friday was pure Middle eastern food while Saturday saw a comfortable & simple Indian meal. And then there was also some baking done for easy healthy evening snacks. Keep checking out this space for these recipes.

Whenever we dine in Arabic restaurants, our usual choice is the popular Mandi Rice.  Do you know that Mandi is the National and traditional dish of Yemen?  It is widely eaten in all other Arab countries. When cooked in the traditional style, Mandi ingredients are usually gathered together and then placed in a hole underground which is designed like a tandoor (made of clay).  The rice and the meat get cooked on their own due to the underground heat and the flavours from the spices  get absorbed by them.  Quite Interesting.

But don’t worry. This is generally not possible for all of us with our style of Kitchens . Homemade Mandi is still possible with the recipe as below. I made it last Friday for our weekend lunch and it was scrumptious .  This is something that all meat lovers should try. The flavours you get are purely Arabic and you will love it with every bite. I promise !!!

The main ingredient among the spices is the Mandi spice mix. It is this powder that imparts that authentic mandi flavor to this dish.  I made it at home using the recipe as described below.

INGREDIENTS: 

 

Ingredients A –  Mandy Spice Mix
 

2 tablespoons cardamom pods
2 tablespoons cloves
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 whole nutmeg
1 tablespoon ginger
4 bay leaves
 

Ingredients B – For Chicken
 

1 chicken cut into 4  pieces
4 teaspoons Mandy spice mix
1 teaspoon salt – to taste
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric/saffron
2 cubes or 2 tablespoon chicken stock
 

Ingredients C – Rice
 

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon butter/margarine
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped and removes all the seed
4 whole cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
6 black peppercorns
3 cups chicken stock (or just enough that about an inch is above the rice)


HOW TO MAKE:

 

1)      Finely blend all the ingredients under “ A “ - Mandi spice mix. Keep the blended powder aside.

2)      Now its time to marinate the chicken.  Rub all ingredients of  “B” onto the chicken (use only 4 tbsp  Mandi spice mix and the rest can be stored in a clean bottle for future use)

3)      Put this marinated chicken in a dish and cover it or in a zip lock bag and refrigerate it for at least 2-3 hours.

4)      After marinating of the chicken is done, place the chicken in an open pan and cook it uncovered until it is soft and tender and browned evenly. No need to add any water or oil as the chicken will release it itself and cook in its own water. This way the flavors get blended  and the chicken is very tasty. This process takes almost 20-30 minutes. It is important that you cook the chicken on low heat for effective results.

5)      Alternatively, you can transfer the chicken after this step in a preheated oven and bake it for 20-30 minutes at 250 degrees Celsius.

6)      The stock drips from the chicken need to be collected as they will be used while making the rice. These drips should be collected even if you are cooking the chicken only on the pan and not using the electric oven. Cook until the chicken is tender. It should not break.

7)      Now let us make the rice: Heat oil/butter in a cooking dish and add the onions and sauté until lightly browned. Then add all the crushed whole spices. 

8)      Then add the chicken stock, the stock drips from the chicken, tomatoes, salt and the rice. Sauté it for 2-3 minutes. Do not break the rice. Add enough water and bring it to boil.

9)      Cover and cook on low flame until the rice is long and cooked (but not overcooked).

10)   Transfer the chicken pieces on top of the cooked rice and keep it closed to keep the aromas intact.

11)   Serve hot with Salsa and a cucumber salad.

Note:

a)      You can also make this in an oven. After pan frying the chicken, keep it aside. Then make the rice until step 8. And after bringing it to boil on the stove, place this cooking dish in a preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius. Place a grill rack on top of the rice dish and place the pan fried chicken on the grill rack in such a way that the chicken drips fall into the rice pot during baking. This baking process takes 45 minutes to one hour also.

 

 

b)      Mandi rice flavor comes from the chicken stock collected from the chicken drips during baking or pan frying. So make sure you use it.

c)       You can also make Mandi with Muttom (Lamb). During marination, just add 2 tbsp of raw papaya paste. This will tenderize the mutton and the mutton doesn’t need to be pressure cooked. The rest of the procedure is the same.

d)      Chicken or Mutton pieces should be cut big. I bought a small chicken cut only in 4 pieces. This way I got chunky pieces. That’s the actual way the Arabs eat. And it is so tasty.

e)      Some people make it with a whole chicken cleaned inside and not cut. Even this taste awesome. Just that you should watch it while cooking. It has to brown evenly.

f)       Smoky flavor is important for an authentic mandi. I have not mentioned in the recipe. But you can easily get it by placing a small bowl of 1 tbsp butter and  a burning charcoal in it. Just place that bowl in the cooking dish after baking is done (remove from the oven ) . Then keep the dish closed for ten minutes before serving and then this flavor is imparted in the dish slowly.

g)      You can add some turmeric or food color for a yellowish tinge in the rice. It looks  more appetizing.  

 

Fattoush

Ready to beat the heat? Then this tangy Lebaneese salad is a tasty choice. This is a great recipe for a quick summer supper. There aren't many ingredients and doesn't take much time!

Fattoush is basically a Lebaneese dish. It adds all the flair your dinner deserves. Fattoush is so popular in the middle east that you will surely find it in most 5-Star hotel menu books. It in fact deserves to be on the banquet tables of royal courts. And it is terribly  effortless to make - Just gather the right ingredients, and your favorite salad is a snap to make—and super tasty, too!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Romaine lettuce, torn in pieces
1 cucumber
A few tomatoes,seeded and  diced
1 raddish sliced (white or red color)
Green onions sliced
A hand ful of chopped Italian parsely and a hand ful of fresh mint
A green pepper diced (optional)
2 small pita breads
Olive oil for frying the pita breads

For the dressing:

2 small lemons, juiced
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 generous tsps of Sumac ( Sumac is a an Arabian spice that gives a tangy flavor to dishes) you can substitute with vinegar or lime juice if you can't find sumac in your place.

2 or more cloves of garlic mashed in a dash of salt in a mortar. If this salt is not enough, you can add more salt in the salad according to taste.

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Chop all the vegetables for the Salad. Mix them in a bowl.

2) Heat olive oil in a wok . Cut the pita breads into small rectangular pieces and deep fry them in the hot oil.

3) Mix these deep fried bread pieces with the salad vegetables.

4) Now prepare the dressing - Mix all the dressing ingredients well and pour the dressing into the salad bowl and mix well.

5) Serve the salad as it is or you can chill it for a while in the refrigerator and serve .
 

 

 

Falafel Burger

With days getting busier for the next few months, quick-fix breakfasts are our only options. Without compromising on something nutritious, I prefer bread as my Number.1 ingredient for a speedy breakfast menu sometimes on very frenzy mornings.


 From French toasts to burgers and from bread rolls to sandwiches, bread genuinely acts as a welcome ingredient for a warm and healthy breakfast. Light, Lean and simple is how I would like to describe it.

This morning I woke up with an idea to use bread and while looking into the refrigerator, I found some mixed falafel batter. So I decided to fix a quick burger by making patties out of this batter and you can either deep fry or shallow fry them and assembling it with some fresh tomato rounds, lettuce leave, cheese slices and seasoned onions.

So what is this Falafel and what is its background?

Living in the Middle East, Falafels have become a regular part of our meals - all thanks to its easy availability here. They are made up of ground chickpeas with spices & herbs and is fried to form crusty balls or patties that can be either served as starters/snacks or with various types of breads as sandwiches, shawarmas or burgers. It is basically a traditional Middle eastern food.


I have included the basic recipe of a Falafel in a separate post.

So health-conscious folks, you can fearlessly choose this option of a Falafel Burger which is packed with some protein, carbos  & a little fat that can fuel your metabolism and boosts your energy to keep you active all day. If you still insist on not frying them, I am glad to inform you that Falafels can also be baked/grilled to reduce the use of fat in it.

Now get ready to bite into these juicy, tasty and protein-rich burgers.

INGREDIENTS:

 Burger Buns - 2
Onion - 1 small cut into rounds
Tomato- 1 small cut into rounds
Lettuce Leaves - 4
Cheese Slices - 2
Falafels - 2 flattened ones
Mustard sauce  to taste
Tomato Sauce to taste
Oregano - to sprinkle (optional)


HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Cut Burger Bun in 2 halves and place a falafel on top of one half.



2) Sprinkle some Mustard Sauce/tomato Sauce on the Falafel and place a cheese slice followed by a tomato round, onion round and a lettuce leaf.

3) Garnish with some Oregano seasoning.


RATING NOTES:

              DIFFICULTY LEVEL    :   Easy
              RATING  POINTS         :    9/10**

** Mustard Sauce has a tangy taste. So you can make it an optional ingredient if you want to keep your burger conventional tasting.

** You can also use Mayonnaise instead of Mustard Sauce as a variation of flavor.
 

 

Falafel

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chickpeas soaked overnight in water
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tablespoon chopped mint (around 10 leaves-optional)
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
I teaspoon red chilly powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda (Soda Bicarbonate)
¾ teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
Vegetable oil for frying

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Drain the chickpeas from the water and grind them roughly in a blender along with all the above ingredients mentioned except oil, the herbs, baking soda and sesame seeds till it resembles bread crumbs.

2)  Mix them with sesame seeds and the chopped herbs and baking soda..

3) Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. This step in making the batter firm and for easy frying.

4) Make patties or balls out of this mixture and deep fry them in hot oil till golden brown.

5) Serve them with a yogurt dip or Tomato ketchup.

RATING NOTES:

              DIFFICULTY LEVEL    :   Easy
              RATING  POINTS         :    9/10**