Spiced Chicken with Biryani

Spiced Chicken with Biryani (2)
Ingredients
For the spiced chicken
1 dessertspoon ready-made sweet chilli sauce or mango chutney
1 tsp ready-made curry powder
pinch ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
1 dessertspoon ginger syrup (from a jar of stem ginger)
1 tbsp plain yoghurt
4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in, skin scored several times with a sharp knife
For the biryani
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, peeled, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
50g button mushrooms, sliced
pinch chilli powder
pinch ground turmeric
200g basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly in cold water before cooking
50g fresh peas
1 ripe tomatoes, chopped

Method
1. For the spiced chicken, in a large dish, mix together all of the spiced chicken
ingredients, except the chicken thighs.
2. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat them in the marinade, rubbing the
marinade into the scored chicken skin using your hands.
3. Cover the dish and chill in the fridge until needed, or ideally overnight.
4. When the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
5. Arrange the marinated chicken thighs on a baking tray, leaving a little space
between each thigh. Spoon teaspoons of the remaining marinade over the chicken
thighs.
6. Transfer the chicken thighs to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until
crisp and beginning to blacken.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and continue to cook the chicken
thighs for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is dark golden-brown and
completely cooked through.
8. Meanwhile, for the 'emergency biryani', heat the oil in a large casserole that
has a tight-fitting lid over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for
3-4 minutes, or until softened and starting to colour.
9. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
10. Add the chilli and ground turmeric and cook for a further minute, stirring well,
until the spices are fragrant.
11. Add the rice and stir until well combined.
12. Add enough cold water to the pan to reach 1cm/½ in above the level of the rice.
13. Bring the water to the boil in the pan, then immediately cover the pan tightly
with aluminium foil and cover with the lid. Continue to boil the rice for 4-5
minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the pan on the residual heat for a
further 15 minutes (the steam in the pan will continue to cook the rice).
14. Carefully lift the foil covering and add the peas and chopped tomatoes. Return
the foil covering and stand on the residual heat for a further five minutes, or
until the rice is tender.
15. To serve, fluff the rice with a fork, then divide it equally among two serving
plates. Place two quick-spiced chicken thighs alongside each serving. Serve with
a lightly dressed green salad.

This recipe is really good, but next time I will use more marinade and use it for the extra sauce.


Pineapple Dessert
Ingredients
1 medium pineapple
4 tablespoons rum
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Method
1. Peel the pineapple, slice into 8 rings, and remove the centre core from each
ring while leaving it whole.
2. Place the rings in a shallow glass dish.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
4. Pour mixture over the pineapple, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or it can
be left overnight.
5. Heat a little butter in a fry pan and fry for a couple of minutes on each side.

Serve with ice-cream.
This is also quite good on the BBQ