Chicken Palau (Rice)

Servings: up to 12 people (or if serving with other dishes then up to 18 people)

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. whole chicken
• 3 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/3 teaspoon clove powder
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 black cardimoms
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 whole green chili (optional, do not cut it)
• 3 tablespoons fresh yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 medium sized onion
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 4 cups Basmati rice

Directions:

Cut the whole chicken in 23 small pieces, and put deep cuts into each of the drumsticks.


Cut the onions into thin slices.

Take a big dakcha/deep pot, and pour in 1/2 cup of cooking oil. Put the onions in and turn the heat on high. Fry the onions until they look red brown, then add in the ground garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Then add in the chicken. Mix with the spatula, then cover the pot with the lid for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. After 10 minutes, take off the lid, mix it, then cover the pot with the lid again for another 10 minutes.

Take off the lid, turn the heat onto medium-high. When all the water dries up, then add ground ginger and all the spices and gently mix one to two times.

Add in the yogurt and mix again.

soaking the rice

Put the heat on high and add in 7 and 1/2 cups of water (you can add in the whole green chili here). Let it boil for a few minutes. During this, also take 4 cups of Basmati rice, wash it 3 to 4 times with normal water. Then soak the rice for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, drain all the water and put the rice into the pot.

Mix 1 or 2 times, very gently, because we don't want to break the rice. Leave it for 10-12 minutes. Then you will see there is a little moisture left, then turn the heat onto low and cover the pot with the lid for 10 minutes.

a little moisture left, cover the pot for 10 minutes

After 10 minutes, uncover the pot, and turn off the stove. Let the steam leave for 5 minutes and then it is ready to serve.

Note: For this recipe, only use Basmati rice. Please do not use sella Basmati rice. If you want to use sella Basmati, then for 4 cups of rice, you put 5 and 1/2 cups of water into the pot (instead of 7 and 1/2 cups). And also for sella, you have to soak the rice for 2 hours. And at the end of the recipe, where the pot is covered for 10 minutes on low heat, you have to instead cover the lid for 20 minutes for sella.