Chicken Jawaher “Jeweled” Rice

Heat up your pot with the canola oil and sear the chicken thighs until golden brown on both sides.

Remove chicken thighs from pot and set aside momentarily. Add your sliced onions and cook until slightly coloured. Return the chicken to the pot.

Add the rice, barberries, pistachios, apricots, zest of orange, all spice and salt and lastly the water.

Bring rice to a roaring boil (gas- HIGH / electric – max )

Once boiling give it one final stir and check the water for seasoning. The water is a cooking medium and must be flavourful to your standards, now is the time to adjust the seasoning if need be.

Wrap the clean kitchen towel around and over the pot lid, bunching the corners over the towel in to the lid handle. The lid must remain on for the entirety of the process all the way up right to right before serving.

Turn down the pot to medium low (gas – 3 or 4 / electric 5) and allow to cook for 25-30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid briefly and check the contents of the pot for some signs of doneness. If most of the rice on the surface are sticking up (pointing towards the lid) and the moisture at the bottom of the pot has dissipated. If not then return to the stove for additional 8-10 minutes on medium low heat.

Once the rice is cooked allow to rest with the towel and lid on for 10 minutes and serve.