Arabian chicken bukhari rice

The fragrant bukhari rice is an Arabian speciality that could be the centrepiece of your next iftar feast. Interestingly, it is easier to prepare this dish than the regular biryani. Check out the recipe here:

Ingredients
¾ tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp pepper corns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small piece cinnamon
4 cloves
5 cardamom pods
1 black cardamom
3 dried chilies
3 chicken stock cubes
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 kg chicken
For the rice
2 cups basmati rice
½ cup chickpeas
2 carrots
2 tbsp raisins
¼ cup + 2 tbsp oil
2 medium onions
½ cup tomato puree
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp tomato sauce
6-8 green chilies
1 dried lemon
3 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1 tbsp oil
For the chutney
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 big tomatoes
½ onion
1 small piece ginger
2 green chilies
½ tsp cumin powder
Salt as required

Preparation
Dry roast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom pods, black cardamom and dried chillies for 5 minutes on low flame
After it has cooled down, grind it along with turmeric powder and chicken stock cubes
Score the chicken pieces
Marinate the chicken pieces with this masala powder
There is no need to add salt as the stock cube is quite salty
Keep the marinated chicken in the fridge overnight
Soak the chickpeas the previous night itself
Wash the basmati rice and soak for half an hour
Cut half of the carrot into thin slices and grate the rest of it
Heat ¼ cup refined oil in a vessel
Fry the carrot slices
When the carrot slices get crunchy, fry the raisins
Set these aside to be used later
Saute sliced onions in the same oil
Add tomato puree when the onions turn brown in colour
Add crushed garlic when the water from the tomato reduces and oil begins to separate
Saute well
Add tomato sauce and grated carrot
Pour 2 cups water
Allow the mixture to boil nicely
Transfer these into a pressure cooker
When the mixture boils rapidly, add the marinated chicken, soaked chickpeas, green chillies and dried lemon
Mix well
Cook until two whistles; locally grown chicken will take more time to cook
Take out the chicken pieces from the gravy after it has cooled down
Four cups water is required to cook two cups rice
Add more water into the gravy, if required, to make four cups of liquid
Taste for seasoning
Add the strained rice when the liquid in the cooker boils nicely
Close the cooker after removing the whistle from the lid
Put the whistle back on when steam pushes out of the nozzle
Lower the flame and cook for 6 minutes
Open the cooker only after it has cooled down a bit
The rice would be perfectly cooked by now
Mix Kashmiri chili powder and oil in tomato sauce
Rub this sauce on the chicken pieces
Heat oil in a pan
Fry the chicken pieces until both sides are nicely roasted
Place these chicken pieces on top of the rice
Garnish with fried carrots and raisins
Grind the coriander leaves, tomatoes, onion, ginger, green chilies, cumin powder and salt in a mixer jar without adding water to make the chutney
Enjoy the tasty Arabian bukhari rice with refreshing coriander chutney.

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