Spicy chicken pilaf
Description
It's best to cook plov in a cauldron over an open fire, but we'll prepare it on a regular kitchen stove, which is surely available in every home. I assure you, the plov will be less flavorful than the kind usually cooked outdoors in a cauldron. Still, I'm happy to share my version.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
To prepare pilaf, we need to prepare the vegetables. For frying, cut the onion into small cubes.
- 2
Step 2
Peel the carrots and cut them into thin strips. For those who don't like large pieces of carrot in pilaf, you can grate the vegetable on a coarse grater.
- 3
Step 3
Remove the chicken meat from the bone. Peel off the skin as much as possible and cut the meat into pieces. I prefer to use leg meat. Chicken breast behaves a bit differently in pilaf—it tends to become dry, resulting in an uneven flavor.
- 4
Step 4
Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1 cm into a saucepan or heavy-bottomed pot. When the oil is hot, add the sliced chicken meat. Sear on all sides until golden brown.
- 5
Step 5
When the meat is browned, add the chopped onion and carrot to it. Fry everything together.
- 6
Step 6
Then add salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander, ground cumin, red chili pepper, ground chili pepper, black pepper, and saffron. Although poultry cooks quickly, it's better to pour a little water into the pan and simmer it in the resulting broth for about 10-15 minutes.
- 7
Step 7
After some time, add the well-rinsed rice to the pot. Spread it evenly, but do not mix it with the meat. Pour water over the rice until the water level is about two fingers above the rice.
- 8
Step 8
While there is still enough water in the saucepan, season it with salt to taste (slightly more than you would for soup). Cover the pot (saucepan) with a lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer gently until fully cooked. The water will be absorbed into the rice. The rice will swell and cook through—neither undercooked nor overcooked. Keep an eye on the plov, but do not stir it until it is completely done.
- 9
Step 9
Serve the pilaf to the table. Very delicious!