Indian spiced rice with chicken, crispy onions and saffron

Keep warm this winter with this hearty Indian chicken dish, with spiced rice and crispy onions. Recipe by Faiza Rehman, MasterChef Australia Series 5 contestant.

Recipe «Indian spiced rice with chicken, crispy onions and saffron» presented in category Recipes / Meat, to prepare this dish you will need no more 55 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 small brown onions, thinly sliced, 10 black peppercorns, 7 cloves, 1 star anise , 2 pieces cinnamon bark, 2 small bay leaves, 1 tsp cumin , 4 cardamom pods, bruised, 1kg Coles RSPCA Approved Chicken Marylands, 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, 3 cups Riviana Basmati Rice, rinsed, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, Roughly chopped coriander leaves, to serve, 2 cups vegetable oil.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 small brown onions, thinly sliced 
• 10 black peppercorns 
• 7 cloves 
• 1 star anise 
• 2 pieces cinnamon bark 
• 2 small bay leaves 
• 1 tsp cumin 
• 4 cardamom pods, bruised 
• 1kg Coles RSPCA Approved Chicken Marylands 
• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt 
• 3 cups Riviana Basmati Rice, rinsed 
• 1 tsp minced garlic 
• 1 tsp minced ginger 
• Roughly chopped coriander leaves, to serve 
• 2 cups vegetable oil 
• 1 small brown onion, thinly sliced 
• Pinch of saffron 
• 4 tbsp warm milk 

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins or until golden. Add the peppercorns, cloves, star anise, cinnamon bark, bay leaf, cumin, cardamom pods, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 2 mins or until fragrant. Add the chicken and yoghurt and cook , turning, for 5 mins. Add 3 cups (750ml) water. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 mins or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
2. Season with salt. Add the rice and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins until liquid has reduced slightly. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 mins or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, to make the topping, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat to 170C (when the oil is ready a cube of bread will turn golden brown in 20 seconds). Add the onion and fry for 1 min or until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. In a small bowl, soak the saffron in the warm milk.
4. Top the pulao with fried onion, saffron mik. Divide pulao among serving plates and top with coriander to serve.