Chicken with aromatic rice (Morog pulao)

Murg pulao is a traditional Bangladeshi dish highlighting the region's rich culinary traditions. It is complex and elegant, and its aromas make you hungry.

Traditionally, a rooster (Morog) is used in this dish for more of a meatier flavour, but you can substitute country chicken or even regular chicken for a milder flavour. The magic lies in the layers of subtle spices, mace, cardamom and saffron. The gravy of the chicken is beautiful, and the warming spices that the rice is cooked with complement these flavours beautifully. This is a complex dish to make, but the dish is well worth the effort!

The pulao is mild and aromatic, contrasting with the spicy biryanis of Lucknow and other parts of North India. The chicken is fork tender, and cooking it in the mild-spice curry allows the fragrances to penetrate the meat. The rice is also beautifully spiced, and the aroma of saffron is distinct and luxurious. The grain is perfectly separated, and the combination is divine. This pulao is best served with Bangladeshi Onion salad and Bangladeshi Raitha for a complete course.

This is an excellent cookbook on Bangladesh cuisine, filled with authentic recipes. The cuisine is similar to Indian cuisine but has specific nuances and flavours. I have just begun to cook from this cookbook and learn about the flavours, and you will see me cook from it again soon. I recommend this cookbook for those who want to experiment with and learn from this cuisine.

For more recipes from this beautiful cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the garam masala:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 cloves

1 black cardamom pod

6 black peppercorns

2 blades mace

For the chicken:

2 lb chicken, jointed (see note)

3 tablespoons full-fat yoghurt

2 teaspoons ginger paste

2 teaspoons garlic paste

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 blades mace

A small pinch of saffron

3 teaspoons oil

1 1/2 onions, thinly sliced

1 cup water

For the rice:

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

50 ml milk

A generous pinch of saffron

2 tablespoons ghee

1-inch cinnamon bark

1 bay leaf, halved

5 green cardamom pods

4 cloves

1/4 cup cashew nuts

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 tablespoons ginger paste

Salt, to taste

2 cups water

To garnish:

Green chillies

4 hard-boiled eggs, halved

Cucumber slices

Lime wedges

3 onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons oil

Note: Traditionally, a rooster is used. However, you can use country or regular flavour for a milder flavour.

For the garam masala:

Heat each of the spices, except mace, for the garam masala individually on a dry frying pan until aromatic and lightly toasted. Cool completely. Add the mace and roasted spices to a small spice mill and grind to a fine powder. Add the saffron and set aside.

For the chicken:

Make slashes in the large chicken pieces, breasts, and legs. Mix in all the spices, half the garam masala blend, and the yoghurt. Marinate at room temperature for 3 hours or in the fridge overnight.

To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion. Fry on low heat for 5 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized.

Add the chicken pieces with all the marinade into the pot and cook on medium heat with the lid covered. Add the water and mix in. Simmer for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is very tender. The curry should be very thick, with the oil pooling in bubbles and the spices heavily clinging to it. Set aside.

For the rice:

Wash the rice out in 4-5 changes of water until the water is no longer cloudy. Add 3 cups of hot water to the rice and set aside for 20 minutes. Drain the rice well through a colander, letting the water drip out.

Heat the milk, add the saffron, and soak for 30 minutes.

Heat the ghee in a large pot. Add the whole spices, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, cardamom and cloves. Fry for 30 seconds until the oil is aromatic. Add the raisins and the cashew nuts and fry until the cashew nuts are lightly golden.

Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute until the ginger is no longer raw, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and fry it, coating it with the aromatic ghee. Be careful to be gentle so the rice grains do not break up.

Add the chicken and mix carefully. Add the salt and water and mix again, distributing the water evenly—cover and steam on very low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the rice and chicken over so they do not burn at the bottom.

The rice should be cooked but retain a bite. The chicken curry should have dried out and given some oils to be mixed into the rice. The pulao should be moist but not wet. Each grain should be long and individual.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the onions on low heat until caramelized to colour a deep golden. Drain and set aside.

Serve the biryani hot garnished with green chillies, cucumber slices, g=eggs, lime wedges and fried onions. Accompany with Onion salad and Raitha.