Bismabati 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 Meat Browned in the Rice Pot

1. 4
   Soak the rice in water 30 minutes and drain.

   Colander

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

   StovePot
3. 6
   Add the onion and fry for 15 minutes, stirring, until the onion is browned.

   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 garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   Stove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
5. 8
   Remove half the onion and set aside for serving.

   Slotted spoon
6. 9
   Add the chicken breast and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.

   Stove
7. 10
   Add the carrot and fry 3 minutes, stirring.

   Stove
8. 11
   Add the turmeric, cumin, baharat, cardamom, cinnamon and salt and stir.

   Stove

To assemble

1. 12
   Add the rice and stir 2 minutes, until all the grains are coated in fat.

   💡Fry the rice in fat before adding the liquid: each grain gets coated, and the grains don't stick together.
2. 13
   Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

   Stove
3. 14
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
4. 15
   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. 16
   Gently fluff with a fork, sprinkle the almonds and pine nuts and the reserved onion on top and serve.