Akbari Murg-Bhat

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 lb. chicken
• cut into 6 to 8 pieces
• 2 cups chicken stock
• prepared from balance
• with spices
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Salt
• 6 tbsp. ghee
• oil
• 1 capsicum
• sliced
• 3 onions
• finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. powdered saffron
• 2 cups good-quality rice
• 8 oz. green peas

Instructions

1. Wash and dry chicken pieces.
2. Rub them with pepper and salt and set it aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat ghee in a thick pan and fry chicken over gentle heat in two batches, turning them once.
4. Fry until lightly and evenly browned.
5. Remove the pieces and set aside.
6. Now, in the same ghee, fry onion, garlic, capsicum and bay leaves, and saute until onion softens.
7. Add rice with salt and fry, stirring continuously, until lightly browned.
8. Add tomato puree, chicken broth and saffron.
9. Place chicken pieces over this mixture and bring it to a gentle boil.
10. Cover tightly and cook.
11. If possible, then bake it in a 350F oven for 1 hour.
12. Remove it from oven, uncover, sprinkle in a little water and put in peas.
13. Cover and bake for 20 minutes more until peas are cooked and no moisture is left.
14. Wait a while before serving.