Uzbek Plov with Chicken and Dried Fruit

Ingredients: 600 g (1 lb. 5 oz.) chicken breast 1/2 tsp. powdered saffron 2 cardamom pods 50 g (2 oz.) flaked almonds 50 g (3 tbsp.) butter 2 medium onions, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 400 g (14 oz.) long grain rice 750 ml (3 cups) water 12 tbsp. raisins 4-8 dried apricots, cut into strips 2 tbsp. oil Salt and black pepper

Cooking Instructions: Sauté the onions in a heavy covered pan over low heat. This is where you'll find many differences in technique: some cooks like to brown the onion to give more flavor to the rice and cooking oil. Rinse the rice in several changes of water: this is the secret to obtaining fluffy distinct grains of rice and a plov with a nice texture; otherwise it will be heavy and sticky. Sprinkle the rice into the pot with the onions. Shake the pot to mix and allow the grains to be moistened with the liquid. Add the spices. Pour in the boiling water. The water should cover the rice by about 3 cm (1 1/2"). Stick the clove of garlic into the middle. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. At this point the rice should not have absorbed all the liquid. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into cubes and sauté in a mixture of butter (5 tsp.) and oil, with the raisins, apricots and almonds. Season with salt and pepper. Place all the ingredients in the kazanchik without mixing. Continue cooking over low heat until the chicken has cooked in the steam. Let rest for about 10 minutes with the heat off. Serve hot.

#uzbekistan #chicken #rice