Djaj Fouq El-Eish, a Chicken Dish from Oman

This is basically a chicken and rice dish that sounds delish with great seasoning. It's easy and not expensive

• Ready In: 26 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• MAIN DISH

• 2  cups  vegetable oil or 440  g  vegetable oil
• 2  medium potatoes or 400  g potatoes, cut into medium cubes
• 8  chicken pieces or 1 1⁄2 kg chicken pieces
• 6  cups water or 1 1⁄2 liters water
• 3  small cinnamon sticks
• 1  teaspoon whole cardamom pod
• 1  teaspoon whole cloves
• 1  teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• 3  cups basmati rice or 600  g basmati rice, washed and drained
• 9  cups boiling water (extra to boil the rice) or 2 1⁄4 liters boiling water
• 1  pinch salt, to taste
• 1⁄2 cup ghee or 100  g ghee
• 3  medium onions or 375  g onions, sliced
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed
• 3  tablespoons  omani mixed spice
• 2  chicken bouillon cubes

• OMANI SPICE

• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1  tablespoon cumin seeds or 15  ml cumin seeds
• 1  tablespoon  coriander seeds or 15  ml  coriander seeds
• 1  tablespoon cardamom seeds or 15  ml cardamom seeds
• 2  teaspoons cayenne pepper or 10  ml cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric or 2  ml ground turmeric
• 2  tablespoons distilled vinegar or 30  ml distilled vinegar

Directions

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan, fry the potato cubes until they become tender. Set aside on absorbent tissue.
2. Place chicken pieces in water, bring to boil and remove froth as it appears. Add cinnamon sticks and whole spices. Simmer on low heat for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove and set aside. Drain liquid and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, put rice with boiling water and salt in large pot. Boil for 10 minutes or until rice is ¾ cooked, remove and drain.
4. Melt the ghee in a large sauce pan (reserve 2 tablespoons ghee), cook onions for 5-6 minutes or until they become golden brown in color. Add the boiled chicken pieces, garlic, Omani mixed spices, chicken bouillon cubes, 1½ cups or 375ml of the chicken stock and the fried potato cubes. Stir and simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes and set aside.
5. Melt the reserved ghee in a large pot. Add the boiled rice then top with the chicken mixture.
6. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is completely cooked.