Madrouba

Ingredients

• 600 g bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 200 g basmati rice
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 onions, thinly sliced, for the topping
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 dried limes, pierced
• 1 tsp baharat
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1.5 litres water, plus extra as needed
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 30 g butter
• 1 lime, for zesting

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and leave it to drain.
• Chop one onion finely and slice the other two thinly.
• Grate the tomatoes on the coarse side of a box grater.
• Pierce each dried lime twice with a knife tip.

Steps

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
2. Fry the sliced onions for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until they are dark brown and crisp, then lift them onto kitchen paper and set the pan aside.
3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the onion oil into a large heavy pot over medium heat.
4. Cook the chopped onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the grated tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes until darkened.
6. Add the baharat, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and salt and stir for 1 minute.
7. Put in the chicken thighs and turn them in the spice base until coated.
8. Add the dried limes and pour in the water.
9. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is falling off the bone.
10. Lift out the chicken, strip the meat from the bones in shreds and return the meat to the pot.
11. Tip in the drained rice and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and topping up with hot water whenever it looks tight.
12. Fish out the dried limes and squeeze their juices back into the pot before discarding the skins.
13. Beat the pot hard with a wooden spoon or a potato masher for 2 minutes, until the rice breaks down into a thick, spoonable porridge.
14. Stir in the butter, chopped coriander and parsley.
15. Spoon the madrouba into bowls and pile the crisp fried onions on top.
16. Grate a little lime zest over each bowl and serve very hot.