Pilaf with chicken and prunes
Pilaf with chicken and prunes, of course, differs from the classic one, with lamb, tail fat and whole heads of garlic, but it is easier to prepare and is guaranteed to turn out even for not the most experienced chefs. The main thing is to find good rice, which in the process of steaming will not turn into porridge. You can push yourself up and buy a Devzira, but a more affordable long-grain basmati will do. Why do we put prunes? It gives the dish a sweet and sour, rather refined note! From ourselves, we note that even the most ardent adherents of the classic version like pilaf with chicken and prunes. Try it yourself and see that our recipe is really very successful!
Ingredients
Servings 6- rice - 340 g
- garlic - 1 head
- prunes - 10 pcs.
- dill - 2 sprigs
- parsley - 2 sprigs
- cilantro - 2 sprigs
- onion - 1 pc.
- carrots - 2 pcs.
- chicken - 1 pc.
- vegetable oil - 100 ml
- cumin - 1 tsp.
- turmeric - 1/2 tsp. l.
- salt - to taste
Cooking
Step 1
Prepare rice for pilaf. Pour it into a bowl and rinse several times until the water runs clear. Strain into a sieve, then transfer to a clean bowl. Pour warm water over the rice, add a pinch of salt and leave for an hour at room temperature. Throw on a sieve. Divide the head of garlic into cloves and peel each.
Step 2
Wash prunes for pilaf thoroughly with running water. Transfer to a small bowl. Pour warm water over and leave for 15 minutes at room temperature. Wash greens, dry and chop. Peel the onion and cut into half rings. Wash and peel carrots. Cut into long strips.
Step 3
Cut the chicken into small pieces. In a cauldron or pan with a thick bottom, heat the vegetable oil strongly, until smoke appears. Fry onions with carrots until golden brown. Add zira, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Add the chicken pieces and, turning occasionally, cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add previously prepared greens and mix.
Step 5
On top of the chicken with vegetables and herbs, spread the rice in an even layer. Pour boiling water into the container through a slotted spoon (so that it covers the rice with a layer 2 cm thick).
Step 6
Stick garlic cloves and prunes into the rice. Reduce the fire to a minimum and cook the pilaf without a lid until the liquid is absorbed. Then tightly close the cauldron or pan and cook for another 20 minutes.