Weird name huh! I know, but couldn’t think of any other name more apt for this dish. Im calling it so because the masala is made with Indian ingredients, but in the end a single ingredient is added which will give the rice a very authentic Arabic aroma and taste.

What is it? Well, it is loomi or as you all may know it, dried limes. This dried lime is packed with flavour, i just luv the smell of it. Thinking if i could make a room freshener out of it. 😀

Loomi are limes, often from Oman, that have been boiled in salt water and then left to dry in the sun until the inside turns black. The outside color can vary from tan to black. The concentrated lime flavor is intensely tangy and earthy with an almost smoky quality. Dried limes can be found in stores carrying Middle Eastern products or can be ordered online. They are also delicious stuffed into the cavity of a chicken before roasting.

This rice recipe has been something I’ve been wanting to share ever since my best friend, Nimeena shared this recipe with me. I think she got it from her aunt. Anyways, i thank both of them for this amazing recipe. This is one dish, which none of you would wanna miss out on. It’s that delicious! So, do give this one a try and lemme know how you guys liked it.

Recipe courtesy: Nimeena <3
Serves 4

500g chicken

For marination:
2 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

4 tbsp oil

For masala:
1 tsp cumin seeds
20 shallots
12 garlic cloves (make a paste)
2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilly powder

For rice:
2 cups basmati rice
3 1/4 cups water
3 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
3 cardamom
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste

3-4 green chillies slit half way
2 dried limes

1. Marinate the washed chicken with the ingredients listed under marination. Pressure cook the chicken until you get three whistles or for 15 minutes. The chicken should be tender.
2. Open the cooker and in it you will have some gravy left. Keep it aside.
3. Shallow fry the pressure cooked chicken in 3 tbsp oil till golden brown. This will take very few minutes as it is already cooked. Keep the fried chicken aside.
4. In the same pan, which you fried the chicken pour the left over gravy and let it boil away till it is reduced and thickened. Keep it aside.

To prepare masala:
1. In the same pan, add a tbsp more of oil and add cumin seeds.
2. Once you get the aroma of the cumin, add in the sliced shallots. Sauté it very well till it turns brown in color.
3. Add in the garlic and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the garam masala and chilly powder.
5. Drop in the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook well till it turns mushy and soft.
6. At this point add the reduced gravy. Mix well. Add salt to taste.
7. Mix in coriander leaves.

To prepare ghee rice:
1. Boil 3.25 cups of water in kettle or in a pan.
2. Wash and drain the rice and keep it ready.
3. In a thick bottom pan, add ghee. Add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom to that. Sauté till you get the aroma of the spices.
4. Throw in the rice and fry it for a minute.
5. Pour the boiled water into this. Add salt. Let it boil in high flame.
6. Once the water have reduced and you see bubbles, reduce the flame and close the lid. Let it cook for 3 minutes.
8. Poke holes on the dried limes or just slightly crush it with a pestle.
7. After 3 minutes the rice will be 3/4th cooked. At this stage insert the dried limes and slit green chillies. Close the lid and cook for another 2 minutes. The flame must be very low.
8. Then spread the prepared masala on top of the rice.

9. Cover the pan with aluminium foil. Place the lid on top. And then place the pan on top of a tava (flat frying pan). Let it cook on a very low flame for about 30 minutes so that the flavor of the masala and the limes will infuse into each rice grain.
10. Before serving mix in the fried chicken.

Enjoy!!

Notes:

✔️ Even though the procedure looks so long, its not that hard. 🙂
✔️ While pressure cooking the chicken, you can add in about 1/4 cup of water if you are worried that it will burn.
✔️ Be careful when adding salt to the masala, because there will be salt in the reduced gravy too. So check and add in the end.

Indian Chicken and Rice with an Arabic Flavor

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Ingredients

  

INGREDIENTS

• 500 g chicken

For marination

• 2 tsp chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp oil

For masala

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 20 shallots
• 12 garlic cloves make a paste
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chilly powder

For rice

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 3 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 3 cardamom
• 1 tbsp ghee
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 green chillies slit half way
• 2 dried limes

Instructions

 

DIRECTIONS

• Marinate the washed chicken with the ingredients listed under marination. Pressure cook the chicken until you get three whistles or for 15 minutes. The chicken should be tender.
• Open the cooker and in it you will have some gravy left. Keep it aside.
• Shallow fry the pressure cooked chicken in 3 tbsp oil till golden brown. This will take very few minutes as it is already cooked. Keep the fried chicken aside.
• In the same pan, which you fried the chicken pour the left over gravy and let it boil away till it is reduced and thickened. Keep it aside.

To prepare masala

• In the same pan, add a tbsp more of oil and add cumin seeds.
• Once you get the aroma of the cumin, add in the sliced shallots. Sauté it very well till it turns brown in color.
• Add in the garlic and sauté for another minute.
• Add the garam masala and chilly powder.
• Drop in the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook well till it turns mushy and soft.
• At this point add the reduced gravy. Mix well. Add salt to taste.
• Mix in coriander leaves.

To prepare ghee rice

• Boil 3.25 cups of water in kettle or in a pan.
• Wash and drain the rice and keep it ready.
• In a thick bottom pan, add ghee. Add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom to that. Sauté till you get the aroma of the spices.
• Throw in the rice and fry it for a minute.
• Pour the boiled water into this. Add salt. Let it boil in high flame.
• Once the water have reduced and you see bubbles, reduce the flame and close the lid. Let it cook for 3 minutes.
• Poke holes on the dried limes or just slightly crush it with a pestle.
• After 3 minutes the rice will be 3/4th cooked. At this stage insert the dried limes and slit green chillies. Close the lid and cook for another 2 minutes. The flame must be very low.
• Then spread the prepared masala on top of the rice.
• Cover the pan with aluminium foil. Place the lid on top. And then place the pan on top of a tava (flat frying pan). Let it cook on a very low flame for about 30 minutes so that the flavor of the masala and the limes will infuse into each rice grain.
• Before serving mix in the fried chicken.

Notes

✔️ Even though the procedure looks so long, its not that hard. 🙂
✔️ While pressure cooking the chicken, you can add in about 1/4 cup of water if you are worried that it will burn.
✔️ Be careful when adding salt to the masala, because there will be salt in the reduced gravy too. So check and add in the end.