Chicken Pilau

There  meals that are so typically Kenyan. Meals that you will rarely miss at most gathering. You know those meals that ALL Kenyans THINK they can cook just by virtue of them being Kenyan. Sort of like the way you imagine all Italians should know how to make great pasta meals or pizza or that a Spaniard should have their paella skills locked down. Well pilau is one of those meals for Kenyans. Unfortunately most of us make some version of it where they put meat and some pilau masala and call it pilau, HAA!!

This, I PROMISE, will be the easiest pilau you will ever cook without making a Pilau Njeri 🙂

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 chicken cut up into pieces
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 500 grams of rice
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 pieces each
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin/coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground roasted cumin powder
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 5 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste (extra)
• a bunch of coriander,chopped

Spices

• 1 level tablespoon whole cumin
• ½ teaspoon whole pepper
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom

METHOD

1. Soak the rice in 4 cups of water for at least 30 minutes
2. Put the chicken with 1 tablespoon of garlic,1 teaspoon ginger, black pepper and salt. Add the water. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes ONLY. The chicken will cook later
3. Put a big pot on heat. Once it is hot add the oil and butter. Once butter is melted add the spices in the spices column. Stir and once they begin to splutter add onions and cook till they are translucent then add in the potatoes, turmeric and cumin/coriander powder. Stir for  a few minutes then add in the remaining garlic and the chopped coriander.
4. Add in the boiled chicken stir well then add the stock ( the ratio of stock:rice is 1.25:1, 1 and ¼ cups of stock for every cup of rice) and some salt. Let it simmer then taste for salt. It should be “too” salty for your liking so that it’s just right when the rice is cooked.
5. Drain rice and add to the pot, stir well then sprinkle with some coriander on top. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and cover with a lid. Once the water has reduced reduce the heat to very low. Let this cook for about ten minutes then switch off the heat. Fluff rice with a fork and leave the lid on for about 3 minutes

HAPPY EATING!!!

For more delicious recipes please visit my blog Foodieinthedesert.com or Like my Facebook page