← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken pieces on the bone
• 150 g plain yoghurt
• 6 cloves Garlic, pounded to a paste
• 4 cm piece Ginger, pounded to a paste
• 2 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 tsp briyani masala or garam masala
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 2 tsp Salt
• 3 Onion, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp Ghee
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 Tomato, chopped
• 1 handful Mint, leaves picked
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 500 g Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Star anise
• 5 Cardamom, lightly crushed
• 5 Cloves
• 2 Pandan leaves, knotted
• 100 ml Evaporated milk
• 1 pinch Saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk (optional)
• 40 g Cashews
• 40 g Raisins

Method

1. Mix the chicken with the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Cover and chill for 1 hour (or overnight).
2. Heat the ghee and oil in a heavy casserole over medium heat. Fry the onions for 12–15 min, stirring, until deep golden; lift out half for garnish. Fry the cashews and raisins in the same fat for 1 minute until the cashews are golden, and lift out.
3. Add the chicken and its marinade and the tomatoes to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 min, then cover and simmer for 20 min, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through to 75°C (165°F) and the sauce is thick. Stir in half the mint and coriander.
4. Meanwhile bring a big pot of salted water to the boil with the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves and pandan. Add the drained rice and boil for 5–6 min until it is two-thirds cooked, with a firm centre. Drain well.
5. Spread the rice over the chicken. Drizzle with the evaporated milk and saffron milk (if using) and scatter over the rest of the herbs and half the reserved onions.
6. Cover tightly (seal with foil under the lid) and cook over the lowest heat for 25 min, so the rice steams through in the chicken juices. Rest for 5 min.
7. Serve with the rest of the fried onions, the cashews and raisins, with acar and dalca on the side.

Tips

• Contains dairy and cashews (tree nuts). Use dairy-free yoghurt and oil only to make it dairy-free.
• Do not stir the rice once layered; scoop deep down so each plate gets rice and chicken.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Nomadette Singaporean Malaysian Recipes Nomadette