Kate in Arabia Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I make Indian food just about every night. Every. night. Did I mention we eat a lot of Indian food? Sometimes I just need a break from the array of spices, lol, so I make a separate dish for myself. I tried this recipe out of Claudia Roden's "The New Book of Middle Eastern Food"; it was easy, gently spiced, and I thought really good! My alterations: I didn't have a whole chicken, so I used chicken breast only and added a chicken bouillon cube. Since it wasn't the whole chicken, I reduced the first cooking time to about half an hour. I also didn't have almonds, so I left that out altogether; and I used canned chickpeas. I served it with basmati rice cooked with green peas, and fresh cucumber and tomatoes chopped. Djaj Qdra Touimiya Saffron Chicken with Chickpeas and Almonds 3.5-4 lb chicken 2 tablesp butter 3 med onions 1/4 teasp crushed saffron threads 1 teasp ground cinnamon pepper 1/2 c chickpeas soaked overnight, or 1 lb can 3/4 c blanched almonds salt 1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley juice of 1/2 lemon Put the chicken, butter and 1 onion, finely chopped, in a large pan, and cover with water. Add saffron, cinnamon and pepper. Bring to the boil, add the soaked chickpeas (if using canned ones they go in later) and the almonds, and simmer for about 1.5 hrs, until the chickpeas are soft and the chicken is very tender, adding salt when the chickpeas begin to soften, and more water if necessary. Lift out the chicken and cut into serving pieces. Add the rest of the onions, finely chopped, the parsley, and canned chickpeas if using, and boil slowly for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are sfot and the sauce considerably reduced. Return the chicken pieces to the sauce to heat through. To serve, arrange the chicken pieces on a serving dish, cover with chickpeas and almonds and the sauce, and squeeze lemon juice over the dish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne/Ankara Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I love her recipes! Claudia Roden is a very interesting individual-- I read a long article about her last year (was it in the New Yorker?). Very tasty food. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Yes, she's one of those people I'd love to sit and have tea and chat with -- maybe she'd meet me at the Khan el-Khalili in Cairo! ;) One of my favorite Indian cookbooks is by Ismail Merchant (the producer of A Room with a View, Howard's End, et al). Unfortunately he passed away in 2005, but he's someone else I always thought would be neat to sit with over a cup of chai.. just the writing style and comments in the book made him seem so interesting and fun.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne/Ankara Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Wouldn't that be neat! We have a special section of the covered market in Istanbul that we like to visit each year-- perhaps similar to the Khan in Cairo. Somehow those places do seem like just the spot to drink tea and talk with interesting people-- somehow not like Starbucks! Food, drink, culture-- what else is there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieAir Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 What exactly does the saffron add to it? Can it be left out? I've almost tried several dishes with saffron, but it is so danged expensive! I've never had anything with saffron in it, either, so I just don't know anything about it other than the price and I'm afraid to cook a dish like this and leave it out. Does it add such a wonderful and unique flavor that it is absolutely worth it? Is there something that could be substituted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Thanks for the recipe, and for the cookbook authors to look for. We too, cook and eat Indian much of the time. I have to admit, I usually use recipes by Madhur Jaffrey- she pretty much taught me to cook Indian, lol. So it will be nice to find some recipes by someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Sounds yummy. We had a middle eastern chickpea stew last night with onions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, and paprika, then with fresh spinach stirred in at the end and lemon juice. It was really yummy (though dh suggested it was missing some lamb, lol), but I wondered whether saffron would have been a good addition as well... It's funny -- most of the flavors are ones I use frequently, but the addition of cinnamon in an otherwise savory dish is one I rarely use. It made the whole meal feel like something special and different! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Oww, I will have to try this one. We love both Indian and Middle Eastern Food. One of my favorite places (Persian) gives us the crispy rice part at the bottom of the pan as a special treat. How I wish I could be in Anthony Bourdain's shoes as they travel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 thanks for the recipe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 I am definately going to try it! Dh and I moved to South Alabama about 3 years ago. The nearest restaurant that serves "middle eastern" food was aboukt 1 1/2 hours away. Then it closed so we have been stuck and very upset about it. So thanks for passing this on. Laurel T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 What exactly does the saffron add to it? Can it be left out? I've almost tried several dishes with saffron, but it is so danged expensive! I've never had anything with saffron in it, either, so I just don't know anything about it other than the price and I'm afraid to cook a dish like this and leave it out. Does it add such a wonderful and unique flavor that it is absolutely worth it? Is there something that could be substituted? It is hard to explain the subtle flavour of saffron. It has sort of a slightly bitter flavour (not bitter in a bad way), and the colour it imparts is wonderful. I adore it, and put it in dishes whenever I can. It most definitely is absolutely worth it, at least for me. In the past when I was out, I have used tumeric to add the golden color. The flavour is different, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Looks incredible. I'm trying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*anj* Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 That sounds fabulous. Thanks for sharing! I look forward to trying it. (If you would like to share any other tried and true ME recipes, please pass them along...you know maybe some yummy things that your mil taught you to cook? :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 About the saffron, it is not a strong flavor, but it is distinctive. I hadn't really thought about the expense part -- fortunately for me, saffron is a standard gift when we visit relatives in Saudi; I come back with all these little jewelry-sized boxes lol. I was actually happy to find a recipe that used it -- the only other one I have that I use regularly is mil's biryani recipe, but that's much too involved for a weekday mea. The recipe book mentioned liquid saffron, like an extract, but I've never seen it or used it and am not sure how it would be. I would imagine you could get that in an international foods store, don't know about the cost. But, I don't think it would taste "bad" if you left out the saffron, just different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 I have to admit, I usually use recipes by Madhur Jaffrey- she pretty much taught me to cook Indian, lol. So it will be nice to find some recipes by someone else I have one of hers, I like it as well. The third one that I use a lot is by Sameen Rushdie (Salman's sister), that one I've used so much it's broken into several pieces, lol, but I don't believe it is in print anymore. http://www.amazon.com/Sameen-Rushdies-Indian-Cookery-Rushdie/dp/0712624872/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206161521&sr=8-1 Thankfully when my sil was getting married she followed my mil around in the kitchen and wrote down everything she did (my mil is an amazing cook); then she typed up all the recipes and sent me a copy -- I was finally able to make decent biryani! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 I have one of hers, I like it as well. The third one that I use a lot is by Sameen Rushdie (Salman's sister), that one I've used so much it's broken into several pieces, lol, but I don't believe it is in print anymore. http://www.amazon.com/Sameen-Rushdies-Indian-Cookery-Rushdie/dp/0712624872/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206161521&sr=8-1 Thankfully when my sil was getting married she followed my mil around in the kitchen and wrote down everything she did (my mil is an amazing cook); then she typed up all the recipes and sent me a copy -- I was finally able to make decent biryani! I'd love to see your biryani recipe and how it compares to mine. Funny- I use saffron all the time- we never have plain rice any more. Also, about the saffron, I finally remembered where I got it- Cost Plus Imports has an inexpensive saffron that is very good. I have a vial of very expensive saffron that was given to me as a gift (yes, I love that people think of this as a good gift for me), and I only use it on special occassions, and for daily recipes, I use the Cost Plus saffron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana in OR Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Thanks for sharing that! We love Middle Eastern and Indian food here! I have several varieties of curry that I use regularly in my cooking. At least half of what I cook is ME or Indian-inspired. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Sounds yummy. We had a middle eastern chickpea stew last night with onions, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, and paprika, then with fresh spinach stirred in at the end and lemon juice. Isn't there an unwritten board rule that you have to provide the recipe now? ;) Sounds like something we would love! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 DH was stationed in the Middle East for many years, working out of Greece mostly, so I cook that way at least once a week if not more. Right now I'm on an Afghan/Iraqi kick. It's tasty stuff..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 DH was stationed in the Middle East for many years, working out of Greece mostly, so I cook that way at least once a week if not more. Right now I'm on an Afghan/Iraqi kick. It's tasty stuff..! Any tasty recipes to share, Gail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Isn't there an unwritten board rule that you have to provide the recipe now? ;) Sounds like something we would love! Oh, dear, Drew -- I listed the ingredients, lol, isn't that enough?!? ;) I'm so bad about (not!) measuring things, it's a challenge for me to write up recipes for other people. But, for you, I'll give it a shot! lol... olive oil (I used a very, very little, but for one who isn't monitoring olive oil use, more is always yummier!) 1 large red onion, chopped fairly small garlic to taste (I used 5-6 large cloves), minced or pressed cumin cinnamon paprika cayenne ~5 cups of cooked chickpeas (or about 3 15oz cans, rinsed) liquid = ~1qt (I added a little water to the leftover liquid from cooking my chickpeas and some vegan low sodium bouillion -- vegetable or chicken stock would work fine too) 1 15oz can diced tomatoes .5-1 lbs fresh spinach juice of 1-2 lemons salt pepper Sauté the onions in olive oil till translucent, then add in the garlic and continue to cook at a low temp. (Do not brown.) When the garlic is soft, add ground cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne and heat through. Then add the chickpeas, liquid and tomatoes. Stir together and simmer for about 45 minutes. Crush some of the chickpeas with a potato masher or run about 1/3 of the stew through a blender or food processor *very* briefly -- you want it chunky, not smooth. Add salt to taste, then stir in the fresh spinach a handful or so at a time until it is wilted in with the stew. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Add salt and fresh pepper to taste. Yummy! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 That sounds so good, I plan to make it tonight. Something lite before our big Easter meal tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieAir Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Thank you for the answer, Kate and Needleroozer. I really want to try using a couple of the recipes I've seen with saffron. I think it's around $15-$20 for a jar with maybe an ounce in it, and though it wouldn't break the bank, it goes against everything in me to buy something so small--a consumable at that--for such a high price. I'm going to give it a try, though, because my curiosity can't take it any longer. I need to know! If I really like it, I'm going to buy a bulb kit and try growing my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 If you have Trader Joe's in your area, they sell saffron for quite a bit less than I've seen it anywhere else. Still probably $4-5 for a tiny jar, but it will last for ages because you use so very little at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Oh, dear, Drew -- I listed the ingredients, lol, isn't that enough?!? ;) :D Thank you so much for writing it out. I'm printing it out and putting it in the recipe binder right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieAir Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 If you have Trader Joe's in your area, they sell saffron for quite a bit less than I've seen it anywhere else. Still probably $4-5 for a tiny jar, but it will last for ages because you use so very little at a time. Wah! I keep hearing about this Trader Joe's, but alas, there are none here. Our friends in Ohio talk about how wonderful Trader Joe's is, too. I will keep this in mind for the next time we go to Ohio:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLHCO Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 That one is going right on my menu list! I have most of the ingredients here already, including the chicken. Thanks for posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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