Machboos or Fogga ~ Chicken and Rice

Serves 6-8

A traditional local dish, its colour depends on the amount of tomatoes used in cooking and how brown it turns out to be!  Very filling, it can be made with fish, meat, chicken, shrimp or game and is always served with radishes, freshly sliced onion, sliced limes and dates.  

Ingredients

1 fresh chicken

2 tablespoons bezar

salt to taste

4 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 fresh tomatoes chopped

6 cloves garlic

3 whole dried loomi

1 stick cinnamon

8 cardamom

4 cups Pari rice

3 onions sliced and browned in samen  (clarified butter) 

Directions

Clean chicken and cut into pieces. Rub with salt and bezar.  Gently fry in a little samen until brown on both sides.

Transfer to a pot, add a little oil and add the stock, garlic, loomi, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.

Taste for salt and add the drained rice. Boil gently on a low heat (don't stir). Once the water has been cibsorbed, cover pan with damp cloth and a heavy lid. Leave to steam, unopened, for 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat and stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot on a platter.