EXCERPT:
Kee had expected to be overpowered by the stench of unwashed bodies in the Pakistani market. Instead it was the bite of sizzling spices from a Biryani stall serving mutton over rice, the cool wash of sun-warmed eggplant at a vegetable merchant, the tickle in her nose as they passed the pepper merchant.
The noise was constant, steady, and wholly unlike any she’d experienced before. Everyone talked at once and at length. Voices echoed off the tall mud-brick walls, bright, cheerful, laughing. Apparently only bargaining was done quietly; all other conversations were boisterous and sounded full of humor. And over it all, the cries of merchants, announcing their wares, who could easily be heard on the far side of the river.
Despite the briefings, she felt safer here than in most American city crowds. Her nerves were on alert, but no panic signals slid down them. They revealed a personal politeness not spoiled by the tourist-as-target mentality so many more-visited cities suffered. Here the social dynamics were easier, simpler.
There also wasn’t that second layer that most Americans couldn’t or didn’t choose to see. The layer where Kee and those like her had lived their childhoods. There were no rich in Bati, but neither did the poorest live in that thin world of desperation.
NOTE: We aren’t big fans of the traditional lamb or mutton, so we went with chicken. We did a lot of testing, as there appear to be about a thousand variations on this dish. This fit a balance of flavor and ease.
Active time: 30 minutes / Cook time: 40 minutes / Total time: 2 hours / Serves: 4
Ingredients for the Marinade (do at least 1 hour ahead for best flavor)
- 1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1-1/2 Tbsp. Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken, cut into 1/2” thick slices. (We use one lg. breast and three thighs.)
- 1-1/2 c. Basmati rice
- 3 c. chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 large cardamom pods (optional)
- 1 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2” ginger, finely chopped or grated (or 1/4 tsp. ground)
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lg. Jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (or 6-8 fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped)
- 1/2 c. dried dates, chopped (can substitute raisins)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Cashews and dried whole dates, coarsely chopped
- Combine the spices with the olive oil in a medium bowl and mix well. Add chicken, mix until coated. Let rest in fridge for one hour to overnight. (It still works if you forget to do this ahead. You can marinate it for just a few minutes, but it gets better the longer it sits.)
- In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- While it’s heating, rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear.
- In another pot, combine the rice, broth, bay leaves, and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 7 minutes.
- Add the onions and sugar to the Dutch oven, sauté until clear and starting to brown around the edges (about 10 minutes).
- Once the onions are done, scrape into a medium bowl.
- Sauté the ginger, if using fresh, for a minute (adding a little oil if necessary).
- Add the Jalapenos and garlic. Sauté for thirty seconds.
- Add ginger now if using ground.
- Add the tomatoes and stir well. Continue stirring and cook until tender (2-3 minutes if canned, 4-5 minutes if fresh).
- Scrape into the bowl with the onions.
- Sauté the chicken in the Dutch oven until well-browned (3-4 minutes, doesn’t have to cook through).
- Drain the rice, reserving the broth mixture. Discard the cardamom pods, leave the bay leaves.
- When the chicken is done, add the sautéed mixture, rice, chopped dates, and 1 c. of the reserved rice broth to the Dutch oven.
- Mix well. Cover and simmer on low until all broth is absorbed (about 20 minutes). If the rice is undercooked and the liquid is all absorbed, add another 1/2 c. of broth and simmer 5 more minutes.
- Off the heat, remove the bay leaves, add the lemon juice, and salt to taste.
- Garnish with cashews and chopped dates.
 A treat with the perfect mix of heat and sweet. |