CHICKEN BREYANI

There are many different ways to make a Breyani. Every culture has its own method and ingredients. My Breyani is a mixture between the Cape Malay version that I learnt from Cass Abrahams and the Indian version I learnt from Sheila Morar.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg chicken pieces

6 potatoes, quartered

4 carrots, sliced

MARINADE

250 ml yoghurt

1 tin of tomatoes, chopped

Salt to taste

8 cardamom pods

3 sticks cassia

6 whole allspice

6 whole cloves

10 ml ground cumin

5 ml ground coriander

5 ml turmeric

10 ml ginger, grated

10 ml garlic, crushed

15 ml curry powder (fragrant masala)

2-3 chopped green chillies

6–10 curry leaves (optional)

3 large onions, sliced

30 ml vegetable oil

500 ml basmati rice, parboiled for 10 minutes and drained

250 ml brown lentils, boiled and drained

100 ml butter

250 ml boiling water

Pinch of saffron (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix the yoghurt, tomato, salt and all the spices and marinade the meat and vegetables for at least 30 minutes.

• Put half the rice into a large, thick-based casserole (cast iron with a flat bottom works well) and spoon half the lentils on top of the rice. Cover with the marinated meat and vegetable mixture, add the remaining rice and then the remaining lentils and cover with the fried onions. (Sheila put grated carrots on top with the fried onions.)

• Dab with butter. Mix the saffron with boiling water and pour over the dish. Cover with a tightly fitting lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour at 180°C. Pierce with a fork to test if the potatoes are soft. Serve with a yoghurt sauce.