Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Chicken with Rice

This recipe is inspired by one of favourite authors and chefs, Yotam Ottolenghi.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 onions, thinly sliced
6 Tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
salt and pepper
10 cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
300 g basmati rice
600 ml boiling water
small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
small bunch dill, chopped
small bunch coriander leaves, chopped
50 g raisins
100 g Greek yoghurt seasoned with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, to serve

Method
Heat a (Le Creuset) casserole pan over medium heat with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and sauté the onion for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion has caramelised and turned a deep golden brown. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and wipe the pan clean.

Meanwhile, place the chicken thighs in a bowl with a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Mix everything well together. Heat the casserole pan with the remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil and brown the chicken (with the spices) for 5 minutes on each side until a lovely golden colour. Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the oil and the loose spices in the pan. Add the rice and toast off for 1-2 minutes. Add the caramelised onions, salt and pepper to taste and the raisins. Stir well and then add the chicken thighs, pushing them well into the rice.

Pour over the boiling water, cover the pan and cook over a very low heat for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Take the pan off the heat, cover with a clean tea towel, replace the lid and allow to to steam for 10 minutes. Scatter the herbs over the disk and loosen the rice with a fork. Taste if more salt and pepper is needed. Serve with the yoghurt.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Chicken and Aubergine Curry

Ingredients
2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
500 g boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm cubes
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tin chopped tomatoes
200 ml coconut milk
2 aubergines, cut into cubes
small bunch fresh coriander

Method
Place the onions, ginger and garlic in a Magimix (food processor) and blend until finely chopped.

Heat a heavy based casserole over medium heat with 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and sweat the onion mixture for about 10 minutes until it turns a light golden colour.

Add the chicken and fry for a few more minutes until lightly coloured. Add salt, to taste, the ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Fry for 1-2 minutes to cook the spices out.

Add the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the chicken has cooked through.

Heat a frying pan over high heat with the remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and fry the aubergines until golden brown and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the aubergine to the curry about 10 minutes into the cooking time.

To serve, scatter the remaining aubergine and coriander over the chicken curry. Serve with steamed basmati rice, cucumber and mint raita, papadums or naan bread.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours