Persian Polo Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 500 g basmati rice
• 1 medium onion
• 5 tablespoons margarine or 5 tablespoons oil
• 1 large roasting chicken, jointed
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon raisins (or more)
• 150 g apricots, dried
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

Recipe

• 1 fry the onion in 3 tbsp of margarine or oil until golden, add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides.
• 2 season to taste with salt and pepper, add raisins and apricots, and continue to cook for a minute or two longer, turning the fruit in the fat.
• 3 sprinkle with cinnamon, cover with water and simmer gently, covered, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce reduced.
• 4 bone the chicken if you like.
• 5 wash and cook the rice, but do not steam it.
• 6 it should be just partially cooked.
• 7 put 2 tbsp melted margarine or oil at the bottom of a large heavy saucepan.
• 8 spread half of the partly cooked rice over this, cover with the chicken pieces, pour the rich fruity sauce over them and cover with the remaining rice.
• 9 cover the pan with a cloth, put the lid on tightly, and steam over a very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
• 10 the cloth will capture the steam rising from the rice and help to make it fluffy.
• 11 serve all mixed together.