QATARI MADHRUBA
QATAR
Madhruba means “beaten” in Arabic, and the dish is a kind of savory porridge made with cracked wheat (jerish). The flavorings are fresh with both fresh tomatoes and tomato paste used in the dish, adding both color and flavor, together with the ever-present garlic and ginger pastes that must be a South Asian influence. I learned to make madhruba with Aisha al-Tamimi, Qatar’s foremost celebrity chef, and the first thing she did after organizing her mise en place was to dry-sauté the chicken to get rid of the off flavor that chicken usually has. (You won’t need to do this if you buy good organic chicken. And don’t wash it as she does. Washing chicken presents more risk of salmonella with contaminated droplets of water flying here and there on your counter.) Aisha uses black dried limes instead of pale ones in dishes where the color does not matter, saying they are more flavorful.
SERVES 8
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped
1 dried red chili pepper, left whole
1 whole chicken (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg), cut into 8 pieces
4 black dried limes, pulp only (seeds and peel discarded)
1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
1 tablespoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground fennel
1 star anise
½ cup (125 g) tomato paste
4 large tomatoes (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), peeled and pureed in a food processor
3 cups (600 g) jerish (coarsely cracked wheat), soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
1 cup (200 g) basmati rice, soaked for 1 hour in lightly salted water
½ green bell pepper, trimmed, deseeded, and cut into medium wedges
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, coarsely chopped
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded, coarsely chopped
3 sprigs fresh dill, bottom stems discarded, coarsely chopped
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and chili pepper and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the chicken, dried lime pulp, ginger, and garlic. Add the spices, tomato paste, and pureed tomatoes. Drain the jerish and rice and add them to the pot. Add the green pepper and herbs. Cover with 2 quarts (2 liters) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer, stirring every now and then, for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed but without the grain and rice becoming too dry—if the grain is getting too dry, add a little water. Serve hot.