Emirati Machboos (مكبوس إماراتي) — Spiced Chicken Rice with Dried Lime

• 500 gbasmati rice (rinsed until the water runs clear and soaked for 30 minutes)
• 1 wholewhole chicken (about 1.5 kg, cut into 8 bone-in pieces, halal-certified if required)
• 30 gghee
• 30 mlneutral oil
• 300 gyellow onions (thinly sliced)
• 6 clovegarlic (minced)
• 1 inchfresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)
• 1green chiles (slit lengthwise)
• 300 gtomatoes (finely chopped)
• 30 gtomato paste
• 0.5 bunchcilantro (stems finely chopped, leaves reserved for garnish)
• 2dried limes (pierced several times with a skewer)
• 1 stickcinnamon
• 6 podgreen cardamom (lightly crushed)
• 6whole cloves
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2 tspground coriander
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 0.75 tspground black pepper
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon
• 0.5 tspground cardamom
• 0.25 tspground cloves
• 2.5 tspfine sea salt
• 1.6 lwater
• 20 strandsaffron
• 30 mlwarm water (for blooming saffron)
• 1 tbsprose water
• 50 ggolden raisins

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the basmati rice in several changes of cool water until the water is almost clear, then soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain it thoroughly before cooking so the grains steam separately instead of turning sticky.

2. 2

   Place the saffron strands in 30 ml warm water and leave them to bloom while you prepare the pot. Stir the rose water into the saffron infusion just before using it so its aroma stays bright.

3. 3

   Mix the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground cloves, and 1.5 tsp of the salt in a small bowl. Rub half of this spice mixture over the chicken pieces and keep the remaining half for the onion and tomato base.

4. 4

   Heat the ghee and neutral oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces for about 8 minutes total, turning them until the skin and edges take on a deep golden color, then transfer them to a plate.

5. 5

   Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger, green chile, chopped cilantro stems, tomato paste, and the remaining ground spice mixture, then cook for 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.

6. 6

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes, pressing them into the onions until they soften into a thick sauce. Return the chicken to the pot with any juices from the plate, then add the dried limes, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, whole cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, remaining 1 tsp salt, and 1.6 l water.

7. 7

   Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is deeply flavored with dried lime and spices.

8. 8

   Lift the chicken pieces onto a tray and loosely cover them so they do not dry out. Strain or ladle the broth through a fine sieve if you want a cleaner rice texture, then measure 900 ml of broth and return it to the pot, adding water only if the broth is short.

9. 9

   Bring the measured broth to a boil and add the drained rice, spreading it into an even layer without stirring aggressively. Cook uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes, until the liquid drops just below the surface of the rice and small steam holes appear.

10. 10

    Set the chicken pieces on top of the rice and drizzle the saffron rose-water infusion over the surface. Cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to very low, and steam for 20 minutes so the rice finishes gently and absorbs the chicken broth.

11. 11

    Turn off the heat and let the covered pot rest for 10 minutes before opening it. During this time, soak the golden raisins in 60 ml hot broth from the pot or hot water for 5 minutes, then drain them well.

12. 12

    Transfer the chicken to a platter, fluff the rice carefully with a fork, and mound the rice beneath or around the chicken. Scatter the plumped raisins and reserved cilantro leaves over the top, then serve hot with yogurt, salad, and a sharp chile condiment.