Bukharan Rice – Bukharan Pilaf with Vegetables with homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

For the Fried onion

1. 4
   Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, soak 20 minutes and drain.

   Colander

   💡Rinsing removes the starch from the surface of the grains: the rice comes out fluffy and separate, not sticky.

   💡Soaking shortens the cooking, and the grains cook evenly.
2. 5
   Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat.

   StovePot
3. 6
   Add the onion and carrot and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and deep golden.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 7
   Add the pepper and fry about 5 minutes, stirring, until it softens.

   Stove

To assemble

1. 8
   Add the rice and the turmeric and paprika and stir 2 minutes, until all the grains are coated in fat.
2. 9
   Add the chicken stock, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.

   Stove
3. 10
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
4. 11
   Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.

   💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
5. 12
   Gently stir in the olives.
6. 13
   Gently fluff with a fork and serve.