Pilaf
Description
The recipe won't take much time. Those who enjoy pilaf and chakhokhbili will surely like this dish, just as I did. Fluffy, aromatic pilaf with tomatoes, tomato paste, and tender chicken. Novel, original, and very delicious—I highly recommend it. Serve hot.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients for making Chakhokhbili pilaf.
- 2
Step 2
Pour sunflower oil into a thick-bottomed pot and heat well. Then add the chicken pieces, previously washed and dried with a paper towel.
- 3
Step 3
Sear the chicken over high heat until a golden crust forms.
- 4
Step 4
Then pour 300-350 ml of water into the cauldron with the chicken.
- 5
Step 5
Simmer the chicken until almost cooked. Then remove it from the cauldron and take out the bones along with the skin. However, for those who don't mind these details in pilaf, you can leave everything as is, meaning keep the bones and skin.
- 6
Step 6
Peel the onion, wash it, slice into half-rings, and add to the cauldron with the chicken.
- 7
Step 7
Add salt, ground red pepper, and khmeli-suneli.
- 8
Step 8
Add tomato paste and tomatoes, chopped in any way.
- 9
Step 9
If there is little liquid in the cauldron, you should add some more.
- 10
Step 10
Cover the pot with a lid and simmer the chicken with spices, onion, and tomato for 15 minutes over low heat.
- 11
Step 11
While the chicken is cooking, thoroughly rinse the rice in 5-6 changes of water so that the pilaf turns out fluffy. Then soak it in hot water, but not boiling water, for 20-25 minutes.
- 12
Step 12
Place the pilaf in an even layer over the chicken in the cauldron. Smooth it out. Pour in water so that it reaches a level one to one and a half fingers above the rice. Do not cover the cauldron with a lid. Cook the pilaf over medium heat until all the liquid on top has evaporated, while some moisture still remains at the sides and bottom of the cauldron. Then, pile the rice into a mound, shaping it from the edges of the cauldron toward the center. Cover the cauldron with a lid.
- 13
Step 13
Cook the pilaf over the lowest heat for another 15–20 minutes. Then let it rest for 20 minutes and stir.
- 14
Step 14
Plov "Chakokhbili" is ready. Serve for lunch or dinner with vegetables and pickles.