Iraqi Tbit - Chicken and Rice with homemade tomato paste

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade tomato paste ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Wash the tomatoes, remove the cores and quarter each tomato.

   KnifeCutting board
2. 2
   Put the tomatoes, the salt and half of the olive oil in a wide pot, cover and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and release their liquid.

   StoveWide, shallow pot
3. 3
   Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill or sieve and return the purée to the pot: the skins and seeds stay behind.

   Food millorFine sieve
4. 4
   Cook uncovered about an hour at a lively simmer, stirring now and then, until the purée reduces by half.

   StoveWooden spoon

   💡The paste burns easily as it dries: stir and scrape the bottom and edges, and once it is thick, don't walk away.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 110°C (230°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
6. 6
   Grease a wide baking dish with the rest of the olive oil and pour in the purée in a thin layer. Dry in the oven about 3 hours, stirring and scraping the edges every 30 minutes, until the paste is thick, sticky and brick red.

   OvenBaking sheetSilicone spatula
7. 7
   Let the paste cool.

   Jar

For the Meat Browned in the Rice Pot

1. 8
   Soak the rice in water 30 minutes and drain.

   Colander

   💡Soaking shortens the cooking, and the grains cook evenly.
2. 9
   Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).

   Oven
3. 10
   Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.

   StovePot
4. 11
   Add the onion and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   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.
5. 12
   Add the chicken and brown on all sides.

   Stove
6. 13
   Add the tomato paste, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, salt and black pepper, stir and cook 5 minutes.

   Stove

To assemble

1. 14
   Spread the rice in an even layer over the chicken, without stirring, pour the boiling water over it and bring to a boil.

   Stove
2. 15
   Cover the pot with parchment paper and then the lid, and bake 150 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.

   OvenCast-iron potParchment paperLid
3. 16
   Remove from the oven 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.
4. 17
   Turn the pot out onto a serving platter and serve.