← Nouns Cooking · Moroccan

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg chicken pieces, skin removed
• 2 Onion, chopped
• 30 g Butter
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tsp Ground ginger
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch Saffron, crumbled
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 500 ml Water
• 500 g Fine wheat vermicelli (shaariya), broken into short lengths
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 60 g Butter, softened
• 3 tbsp Icing sugar
• 100 g Raisins, soaked in warm water (optional)
• 150 g blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely ground
• 6 tbsp Icing sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Put the chicken, onions, butter, oil, spices, saffron, salt and coriander in a pot over medium heat and stir for 10 min. Add the water, cover and simmer for 1 hour, until very tender and 75°C (165°F) at the bone. Uncover and boil for 10–15 min until the sauce is thick.
2. Meanwhile, rub the vermicelli with the oil and salt in a wide bowl, then sprinkle over 250 ml water and toss so every strand is damp.
3. Tip the vermicelli into a steamer basket (or a colander lined with a cloth) set over a pot of boiling water and steam uncovered for 15 min, until steam rises through it.
4. Tip it back into the bowl, sprinkle with another 250 ml water, separate the strands with a fork and add the drained raisins. Steam for 15 min more, until tender.
5. Toss the hot vermicelli with the butter and 3 tbsp icing sugar. Mix the ground almonds with the 6 tbsp icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the cinnamon.
6. Spread half the vermicelli on a big platter, lay the chicken and some of the onion sauce on top, then cover with the rest of the vermicelli in a smooth dome. Decorate with the almond mix and lines of the remaining cinnamon, and serve the extra sauce alongside.

Tips

• Contains wheat, dairy and almonds. Couscous can be steamed the same way instead of vermicelli.
• Bone the chicken before burying it if you are serving children or guests at a buffet.

Sources

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

Taste of Maroc My Moroccan Food