Baachsh Traditional Bochari Rice Meat And Coriander Dish Food

RECIPE: THE NATIONAL DISH OF BAHRAIN - MACHBOOS

Steps:

• Grind the garlic cloves, ginger, green chili, mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves. Soak saffron in rose water. Soak the rice.
• Slice and then fry the onions lightly brown. Add the ground ingredients and fry well.
• Chop the tomatoes and the chili pepper and then add them followed by tomato paste and the green cardamoms, cinnamon, crushed dried lemons, black pepper, chili powder, Bharat powder, turmeric powder and crushed bay leaves. Fry the spices and add the chicken pieces. Add salt and enough water to cover the chicken.
• When the chicken is done (slightly soft), add the rice in and slowly stir adding the remaining coriander leaves and enough water to cook the rice. Be very careful when adding water because if you add too much the rice will be very soft. Add the saffron soaked in rose water, slowly stirring.
• Cover tightly and keep covered while cooking on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
• Start frying the carrot. Blanch the almonds and then add them to the frying pan together with the raisins
• Before serving stir the rice using a fork to separate the rice grains. The chicken should be intact. Garnish the dish with fried nuts, raisins and carrots.

BASMATI RICE WITH CASHEWS, PEAS AND FRESH CORIANDER

Steps:

• In a small pan over a medium heat, bring the water to the boil; add the salt and turmeric; reduce to a simmer and cover tightly.
• In a larger - preferably heavy-based - pan, over a medium heat, heat the ghee or oil; add the yellow asafetida powder and chopped onion and stir to combine for 1-2 minutes, add the rice and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until the rice becomes whitish in colour.
• Carefully pour the simmering water into the pan containing the rice, stir briefly, and if the peas you are using are fresh, add them now; increase the heat so that the water is again boiling, then reduce to a very low heat and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Simmer the rice for 15-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender and flaky; if you are using frozen peas, add them 5 minutes before the end of this stage of the cooking; stir through the rice quickly, and replace the lid as soon as you can.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave it covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes to allow the grains to firm up.
• Fold in the cashews, chopped baby spinach leaves and chopped coriander leaves, and stir well to combine the ingredients.
• Serve hot, garnished with the remaining herbs.
• NOTES: (i) I have suggested adding the chopped baby spinach leaves in step six, as baby spinach leaves wilt very quickly once they come into contact with something like hot rice. If you would like your spinach leaves not just wilted but cooked, add them when adding the frozen peas towards the end of the cooking time in step four. (ii) The Zaar Kitchen Dictionary suggests that either garlic powder or onion powder are suitable substitutions for yellow asafetida powder.

BAACHSH - TRADITIONAL BOCHARI RICE, MEAT AND CORIANDER DISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan and add onion.
• Sauté onion until it becomes transparent.
• Add ground meat and stir so it doesn't "clump" together.
• Stir in turmeric and pepper and let cook for 30 minutes.
• Add the rice, salt and coriander and mix well until the mixture of rice, meat, onions and coriander is uniform and rice has turned yellow from the turmeric.
• Add water and leave the mixture to boil until the water has mainly been absorbed, then lower the heat and cover the pot with a towel and then the lid (the towel will absorb the water vapor).
• Leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Fluff the rice and serve!