The almond, raisins and caramelised onions with other spices bring a unique flavour to the rice and chicken.  Alrighty, go ahead read it once and all you biryani experts will get an idea to make this easily.

Yields: for 2 hungry tummy

Mofatah Al Dajaj | An Ethnic Saudi Rice and Chicken Dish

INGREDIENTS

Whole Spices to be tied in a piece of cloth
1-inch Galangal root
2-inch cinnamon stick
3 whole green cardamom pods
2 shaiba leaves (Black stone flower/ Kalpasi / Dagar da Phool)
1 loomi (dried black lemon)
For Almond and raisins garnish:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced finely
1 tablespoons raisins
1/4 cup blanched almonds and/or toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons of prepared Wet Spice mixture

To Cook Chicken:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced finely
2 to 3 green chillies
4 chicken thighs with bone and 2 legs (approx 550 gm)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
bundled spices
3 and 1/2 cups water

For the Rice
1 and 1/4 cups basmati rice
Chicken broth that you get after cooking the chicken - adjust this according to your rice requirement
Salt to taste - season as you go

METHOD:

Whole Spices to be tied in a piece of cloth

1. Make a small bundle of the whole spices by keeping them in a clean small piece of cloth (cotton or cheesecloth) and tie the ends together. Ensure this is tight so it doesn't open up while boiling. 

Prepare the Wet Spice mixture:

1. Add all the ingredients in a small bowl and give it a good stir. Keep this aside. 

Prepare the Almond and raisins garnish:

1. Soak the almonds in hot water for few minutes or microwave for 1 minute. Peel and slice the almonds and keep aside. And if adding Pine nuts, roast them and keep aside. 
2. Heat oil in pan and add onions and cook on a low flame until they are caramelised
3. Add 2 tablespoons of Wet Spice mixture and cook for few minutes, then add the almonds and raisins
4. Keep aside until needed

Cook the Chicken pieces

1. Heat oil in pot and add finely chopped onion and green chillies and saute this for about 2 minutes
2. Add the washed and drained chicken pieces and season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Keep turning the chicken pieces until lightly browned 
3. Add the whole spices knotted bag and 3.5 cups water
4. Bring the water to boil, then simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes (on very low heat)
5. Switch off and with a tong, remove the chicken pieces from the pot and place on flat pan. 
6. Brush the pieces with the remaining Wet Spice mixture, and roast it on stove top or oven until lightly browned and charred

Prepare the Rice

1. Wash and soak the Basmati rice for 20 minutes and then let it drain completely
2. Meanwhile, to double ensure there is enough broth in the pot to cook the rice, transfer the broth into a measuring cup and adjust accordingly. My rice required 2 cups of water for every cup of rice. I got that exactly. So add or remove liquid as per your rice requirement. 
3. my method of cooking rice -Tip in the rice into the broth. Bring it to boil on medium flame. Let it cook until there is no liquid of the surface. 
4. Reduce the flame to lowest. 
5. Stir it once and place back the roasted chicken and Kashna or Almond and onion mixture over the rice. Cover the pot with a foil and then a tight lid. 
6. Slide a tawa between the flame and pot. Cook for another few more minutes and switch off. 
7. Serve Mofatah hot with buttermilk! 

Day 17 which means in another two weeks it will be EID and then I will terribly miss this aura that comes with Ramadan. Honestly, I thought this year would be sad without family and the chattering of ladies in the kitchen cooking away for ifthar, and all the dishes that my mom and umma makes. But on the contrary, this year so far as been the most productive Ramadan for me, Alhamdulillah! I believe it is because I do not have any thing or any body to interfere in my prioritisation other than myself. I do have a very long way to go but key to any such journey is consistency. Alhamdulillah, so far I am able to get through without much distraction.


Coming to today's recipe, I decided to share this because I myself was bored of doing the same kind of fillings for my ifthar snacks and so a new taste is always welcome! right? Last week I picked a few "new to me" items that included, Balsamic vinegar, Red grape vinegar and a packet of sunflower seeds. Don't worry not all went into this. I have used red grape vinegar in this recipe.

The chicken is marinated, then cooked in very little water with some spices, shredded and then goes into the sauted onions and stuffs. Khalas!

Lemony Garlicy Chicken Shreds For Filling

INGREDIENTS

Yields 6 samosa squares

Hard Boiled Egg Samosa Squares

INGREDIENTS

Muhallabia Amardeen Pudding | Milk and Apricot Fruit Leather Pudding

INGREDIENTS FOR MUHALLABIA:

The second time, I made with just sugar and flavoured water all into the blender. It was still good and then made with honey the third time. All the three ways were well received by Mr F and so I am sticking with honey as that makes me feel less guilty and keep the sugar for our Tea! :-P

To make amardeen, there is no recipe as such. One pack of the sheet is 500 grams and I have used it 5 times as we are just two of us. Serving with the soaked and peeled nuts make it even richer and filling. The idea behind peeling off the skin of the nuts is to make them float on top. I will share a guideline and the different ways you can make amardeen.

Amardeen  | Apricot Fruit leather Drink

INGREDIENTS:

Apricot fruit leather
Sugar syrup OR Sugar OR Honey
Orange blossom water
Rosewater
Mixed nuts - soaked and peeled

METHOD:

Now, a bonus if you have read so far :-P - there is a post of Amardeen Pudding too.

Tabbouleh with Pomegranate and Feta Cheese 

INGREDIENTS

METHOD: 

1. Prepare the Burghul - there are different school of thoughts when it comes to rinsing it. Some say rinse in cold water, drain and soak in hot water. Some others say directly soak in hot water and cover to let it absorb. I have tried both the methods and there is no difference in taste. The bottom line, it sucks up double the amount of water very easily. If rinsing, use clean water. And for this salad, we need it separated grains type, so however you choose to do, let it sit covered in very hot water and use it only after draining off the excess if any completely. 
2. Take only the leaves from the Parsley and mint, rinse and chop them finely. 
3. Keep all the chopped ingredients in the fridge until required
4. Just before serving, mix all the ingredients and adjust it according to your taste
5. Serve immediately 

Happy Fasting!

Dates Chocolate Truffles

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup date paste
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1/4 cup chocolate, roughly chopped and then grounded in a processor or spice blender  (I used Weinrich's 1895 Fine Milk Chocolate 32% Cocoa) OR 1/4 cup choco chips crushed with a rolling pin
2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for rolling and dusting (Hershey's 100% Cocoa)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom or rose water or pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil - just to help bring the mixture together

METHOD

I find myself battling within when it comes to sharing recipes of simple everyday food that I make quite often. I ask myself "should I blog about this?" and most often the answer is negative. I am not sure if food bloggers have this dilemma, but I always have. And maybe that is the reason I am not having a post every so often.

It is from blogs like the one I am going to refer you to that I draw my inspiration from. As Ramadan is here, Semolina is a very good option to eat for Suhoor. I am sharing my mom's upma recipe exclusively made for my beloved fellow blogger UmmHamza. She blogs at Halal Home Cooking and whom I befriended through the MENA cooking club. I think she does not need an introduction.. still...


Image Updated on Oct 2018. Dill Leaves stir in towards the end.

UmmHamza is an English Muslim woman in her late 20’s and is married to an Algerian. You will find plenty of North African, British and American recipes on her Blog. And oh yeah, she is crazily in love with lemons which is very evident in her collection of recipes and pins. I am so very humbled to be featured on her space while she is with her in-laws in Algeria spending quality time.

For Recipe and Instructions please visit go to Halal Home Cooking!