A signature Palestinian dish that’s made at least once a week in many households, if I had to describe it in a few words I’d say comforting, satisfying, complex in flavor yet simple, a crowd pleaser, and above all, a dish that feeds a crowd. I filmed it once when I first started, and this time I wanted to make it with easier steps to follow if you’re attempting it for the first time. I hope you get to try it and enjoy it as much as we do.
Ingredients
- 3 whole chicken legs or any other parts
- If using a whole chicken 3 1/2 pounds
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 large globe eggplants (any size)
- 2-3 potatoes medium size
- 1 large beefy tomato
- 1/2 tbs. Salt
- 1 tbs. 7 spices
- 1/2 tsp. Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. Turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. Cardamom (optional)
- 5 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- 🔸peel and cut the eggplant into 1 inch rounds, sprinkle with salt generously and leave in a strainer for 2 hours to get rid of the moisture. Rinse after and pat dry.
- 🔸wash the rice 3-4 times and soak for 2 hours.
- 🔸cut the rest of the vegetables same thickness.
- 🔸mix your spices (I used 3/4 of the amount).
- 🔸wash the chicken and pat dry.
- 🔸fry the eggplant and potatoes until golden, set aside in paper towel to get rid of excess oil.
- 🔸to the bottom of an 8 quart cooking pot add one ladle of the frying oil and fry the chicken on both sides until golden.
- 🔸remove the chicken and save the oil as you will use some of it.
- 🔸time to assemble! Sprinkle some salt at the bottom of the pot (remember the chicken had no salt or spices on it) place the chicken and sprinkle again with salt, sprinkle evenly with the spice mix, layer the vegetables to cover the chicken evenly, sprinkle more of the spices and the salt (1/2 tbs. Salt will be divided between the vegetables and rice).
- 🔸drain the rice and mix spices and salt in it.
- The rest will be in comments 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼.