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Chicken Kabsah

Ingredients:

3      cup Al-kabsah rice
1      (800 gm) chicken cut into pieces
5      cup boiling water
4      Tbsp vegetable oil
1      large onion, thinly sliced
2      large tomato, pureed
2      Tbsp tomato paste
1      cube chicken bouillon
1      tsp of each (mixed spices – turmeric)
½     tsp ground black pepper
2      tsp salt (to taste)

For the chicken:

1     Tbsp tomato paste
½    tsp of each (ground cumin – ground black pepper)
¼    tsp salt

For garnish

1    medium onion, thinly sliced and deep fried
2    Tbsp fried pine nuts

Instructions:

1.   Preheat the oven to 200 C.
2.   Wash the rice very well and soak in salted warm water for 30 minutes.
3.   Heat the oil in a sauce medium pan, then sauté onion and garlic for 3 – 4 minutes, add the chicken and cook for 5 -6 minutes or until the chicken is lightly golden.
4.   Add the tomato puree, chicken bouillon, mixed spices, turmeric, salt and pepper, leave to cook for 10 – 12 minutes.
5.   Add the boiling water and leave to cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken pieces and keep aside.
6.   Drain the rice thoroughly and add it to the pan (water level should be 1 inch higher than the rice level), bring to boil and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover the pan tightly and cook on low heat until done for 15 – 20 minutes.
7.   To make the chicken: coat the cooked chicken with (tomato paste, cumin, black pepper and salt) then place the chicken pieces in a baking sheet, bake for 12 -15 minutes or until light golden.
8.   Place the rice on a serving dish, top with the chicken and garnish with fried pine nuts and onions.