Ingredients
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- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large, whole chicken
- 3 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 pound ground beef chuck
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- ***
- The Hirshon Baharat spice blend:
- 2 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground allspice
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon paprika (it’s not traditional, but I like smoked Spanish paprika – use regular paprika to go old-school)
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
- 2 teaspoons crumbled dried rose petals, optional but strongly recommended
- Cayenne, salt and pepper
- ***
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 8 eggs
- Pickles for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken thoroughly, and pat dry. Season the chicken inside and out with salt, pepper, and ⅓ of the Baharat spice blend. Set aside.
- Make the filling:
- Wash and soak 1 ½ cups of basmati rice for 30 minutes. After soaking, drain the rice and put it into a large mixing bowl. Add the meat and half of the diced tomatoes with their juice. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Mix all ingredients together. Add ½ of the remaining Baharat spice blend and mix thoroughly.
- Stuff the filling into the cavity of the chicken. Don’t be afraid to pack it tightly. After stuffing, either truss the cavity closed, or tie the legs together in such a way that it somewhat seals the cavity (like a Thanksgiving turkey).
- To cook:
- Place a large, heavy, non-stick pot or a stove-safe slow cooker insert over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When hot, add the chicken, breast side down. Allow to brown as best as possible, and then turn it over. Continue in this manner until the chicken is fairly brown all over. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add onion to hot oil and sauté until translucent. Add remaining tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir to dissolve the tomato paste. Season with 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Add the remaining Baharat spice mix. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- In the mean time, wash and soak the remaining rice for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the rice and add to the pot. Add the chicken back to the pot positioning it so that it sits on its back in the middle of the pot. Put the eggs on top of the rice. Bring the pot back to a boil, cover, and immediately place into a 200 degree Fahrenheit (95 C) oven.
- Allow it to cook slowly for at least 12 hours, but it can be cooked up to 18 hours. Alternately, place insert into slow cooker and cook on low for 18 hours.
- To serve:
- Carefully remove chicken from the pot. It will fall apart, but try to be gentle. Place on a platter and surround with the rice. A crispy crust should have formed on the bottom of the pot. Place this on top of the rice and be sure that everyone gets a piece as this is the best part. Serve with a simple salad to round out the meal.
- Serve with the hard-boiled eggs and pickles on the side.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours