Middle Eastern Rice with Chicken, Nuts and Sultanas

I had this dish in Melbourne and just loved it – I wanted to share my experience with my family so I re-created it at home and adjusted the ingredients that I know my kids love, add a tossed salad or tabouli and a yogurt salad (recipe to follow) and you will have a complete meal.

This is also a great party or special dinner dish for a group of people – you can double it and make 2.

Serves 6

500 g chicken breast (Cut into 2 cm strips keeping the length of the breast) or tenderloin

1.5 litres chicken stock

50g butter

500 g minced beef or lamb

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

2.5 Cups short grain rice

3 tsp 7 spice mix (boharat)

1 Cup slivered Almonds or Pine Nuts (toasted)

½ Cup Sultanas

Spring Onions (sliced)

2 Tomotoes thinly sliced

Salt & Pepper

1. Heat Chicken Stock until it comes to the boil, add chicken and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Take out the chicken and reserve the stock for the rice.
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion and garlic sauté until softened without colouring.
4. Add the mince meat and cook until brown, add salt & pepper to season.
5. Add 2 tsp of the spice mix. (reserve 1 tsp for the top of the final dish).
6. Add the rice and stir through until coated fry for a few minutes.
7. Add the stock until just covered above the rice mixture.
8. Bring to the boil (taste for seasoning as this is the last chance to adjust if needed) and turn down and simmer with the lid on for 15 mins or until the rice is cooked.
9. Half way through cooking (7 mins) add Sultanas and ¾ Cup of nuts (reserve ¼ Cup for the top) and Stir through rice, replace lid and continue cooking.
10. Line a large bowl with plastic.

    

    Line Bowl with plastic and layer chicken
    sprinkle some of the reserved nuts & spices

    
11. Sprinkle some of the reserved nuts, and line the bottom and half way up the sides of the bowl with the chicken.
12. When the rice is cooked, carefully spoon the rice into the bowl and pack it in until it fills the bowl.
13. Place a serving platter upside down on top of the bowl and carefully invert the dish onto the platter.
14. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts and spice mix on top of the inverted dish.
15. Decorate with the spring onions & tomatoes.

Bon Apatite , bil hana we shefa

Carefully spoon rice into bowl