Dzhazh Garfa Pilaf Bil Iluz

Eastern jeweled pilaf with cinnamon and almond. This juicy and aromatic chicken dish is bejeweled with shining fried raisins, chopped dates, almonds, and onions flecked with strands of saffron. The succulent dried fruits and colorful, fragrant spices create an image of the exotic East, a land of jewels, silks, and mystique. I enjoyed many variations of this in Jordan and Turkey. It can be eaten hot or cold, and is visually striking because of the caramelized onions and bright orange turmeric and saffron. It could be made using baby chickens, partridge, or quail, allowing one small bird per person.

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Beans and Grains

Middle Eastern

Side

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil		1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cinnamon sticks		1/4 tsp ground cardamom
6 green cardamom pods		1 1/2 tbsp butter
10 black peppercorns		1/2 cup almonds
3 onions, finely chopped		1/2 cup raisins
1 cup tomato juice		1/4 cup chopped dates
2 medium chickens, each disjointed into at least 4 pieces		1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
3 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed		salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

directions

Total:

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1
Preheat the broiler until medium-hot. Heat a heavy pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Add the whole spices’cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and peppercorns’and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Add about one-third of the onion and cook until soft and barely golden. Add the tomato juice and 3 1/2 cups water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the chicken pieces; cook gently for about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth, sprinkle the chicken with half the ground spices, and set aside.
2
Pour the rice into the broth. Cook over high heat until the liquid is almost absorbed, then reduce heat to low and continue cooking until tender. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, until needed.
3
Place the chicken on a baking sheet, and cook, turning once, under the broiler until golden brown all over. In a separate frying pan, melt half the butter and fry the almonds until golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl. Cook the raisins and dates in the same pan. When soft, add to the almonds. Melt the remaining butter, and cook the remaining onion until golden brown. Add the rest of the ground spices and the saffron to the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
4
To serve, stir the onion mixture into the rice with half the almond and fruit mixture. Place the rice in a dish with the chicken pieces on top. Scatter the remaining almond and fruit mixture over the top.

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Dzhazh Garfa Pilaf Bil Iluz

Ingredients

directions