MASHKHUL D’JAJ
QATAR
I am fortunate to count Aisha al-Tamimi, Qatar’s best-known celebrity chef, as one of my great friends in Doha. She and her sister, Mariam el-Abdallah, who was Qatar’s first TV chef, taught me almost all I know about Qatari cuisine when I worked with them on developing a food culture program for the National Museum of Qatar. I spent days in both their kitchens learning how to prepare various Qatari dishes, including this one. I love it, not only for its simplicity but also for the lovely and different textures it combines, as well as the fact that it constitutes a complete meal, as with so many of the rice dishes in this chapter that combine rice with meat and sometimes vegetables. You can also make it with lamb shanks. If you decide to use lamb, cook the meat for 30 minutes longer than the chicken, possibly even longer depending on the size and quality of the shanks.
SERVES 6 TO 8
FOR THE GARNISH
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), halved and cut into thin wedges
1⅓ cups (200 g) blanched almonds
FOR THE MASHKHUL
1 organic or free-range chicken (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg), cut into 8 pieces
Sea salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 medium potatoes (10½ ounces/300 g total), cut into medium wedges
1 large eggplant (9 ounces/250 g), halved lengthwise, then cut into wedges
4 medium onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, sliced into long strips
3 cups (600 g) basmati rice, soaked for 1 hour in lightly salted water
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon Qatari Biryani Masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 black dried limes, inside pulp only (seeds and peel discarded)
1 small clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ inch (1 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
2 medium tomatoes (7 ounces/200 g total), quartered and thinly sliced
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
TO COLOR THE RICE
3 tablespoons (45 g) ghee or clarified butter
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Good pinch of saffron threads, soaked in ¼ cup (60 ml) rose water
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. To make the garnish: Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) vegetable oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat until hot. Add the sliced onion and fry, stirring regularly, until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove to a sieve and shake off the excess oil.
3. Toast the almonds in the hot oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. To make the mashkul: Put the chicken pieces in a large pot, cover with 2 quarts (2 liters) water, and bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming the froth from the surface. Add salt to taste and cook the chicken for 30 minutes, until tender.
5. Meanwhile, heat 1 inch (2.5 cm) vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until sizzling. Add the potatoes and fry, turning them halfway through, until golden all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with several layers of paper towels to drain. Add the eggplant and fry, turning them halfway through, until golden all over, about 8 minutes. Remove to several layers of paper towels to drain. Add a little more oil and add the chopped onions. Sauté over medium heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove to the plate with the onions.
6. When the chicken is done, remove it from the broth. Remove the skin if you prefer it without. Keep hot.
7. Drain the soaked rice and drop it into the broth. Cook at a boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until done. Drain and keep hot.
8. Put a little oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan and add the ground spices and place over medium heat. Stir for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the cooked chicken and sauté for a minute or two, then remove the chicken. Add the sautéed onion-pepper mixture to the pan, along with the dried lime pulp, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes, then add the parsley and cilantro, along with the fried eggplant and potatoes. Stir and cover. Keep hot while you color the rice.
9. Heat the ghee and turmeric in a small frying pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the saffron-rose water. Sprinkle the saffron ghee over the cooked rice and mix lightly to get a mix of white and yellow rice.
10. Spread one-third of the rice over a serving dish, cover with half the chicken still on the bone, then the vegetables. Cover with another one-third of the rice. Spread the remaining chicken and vegetables over the rice and cover with the remaining rice. Garnish with the caramelized onions and toasted almonds. Serve hot.