Riz a Djej (Chicken with Spiced Lamb Rice and Toasted Almonds)

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken thigh fillets
• 1 onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 30 g butter
• 250 g lamb mince
• 1.5 tsp ground allspice
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 300 g basmati rice
• 30 g flaked almonds
• 30 g pine nuts
• 300 ml natural yoghurt

Method

1. 1

   Put the chicken thigh fillets in a pan with the halved onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 900ml water. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining. Lift out the chicken and strain the broth.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, melt 15g butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat and fry the lamb mince with the allspice and ground cinnamon for 6-8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and no pink remains.

3. 3

   Stir the rinsed basmati rice into the lamb to coat, then add 600ml of the hot chicken broth and ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then leave covered off the heat for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Melt the remaining butter in a small pan and fry the flaked almonds and pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until golden.

5. 5

   Shred the chicken and moisten it with a ladle of the hot broth. Pile the rice onto a platter, top with the chicken and the buttery nuts and serve straight away with the natural yoghurt.