Title: Chelo Nachodo (Chicken and Chick-Pea Stew with Rice)
Categories: Stews, Jewish, Afghan, Chicken
Yield: 6 Servings
MMMMM----------------------------STEW---------------------------------
5 c Water
4 Chicken legs AND
4 Chicken thighs, loose skin
-discarded
1 c Dried chick-peas; soaked in
-water overnight & drained
2 md Onions (1 c); chopped
1 Celery rib with leaves; sliced
1 lg Carrot; sliced diagonally
1 Zucchini (1/2 lb); sliced
1 ts Salt, or to taste
1/4 ts Pepper
1/4 ts Ground cumin
1/4 c Fresh coriander; chopped
1/4 c Fresh dill; chopped
1/4 c Lemon juice
MMMMM----------------------------RICE---------------------------------
4 c Water
1 ts Salt
2 c Raw rice; well rinsed
1/4 c Corn oil
CHELO NACHODO (Chicken & Chick-Pea Stew w/Rice)
Here is a family-style dish to be served any time of year. It is a
substantial soup stew, well seasoned in Afghan style & combined w/a
crispy-bottomed rice provides contrasting texture to stew. The stew
& rice are served separately.
To prepare stew:
Bring water to a boil, add chicken pieces, & remove foam as it
cooks. Add chick-peas, onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, salt,
pepper, & cuminseed. Cover pan & cook over moderate heat for 45
minutes. Add coriander, dill, & lemon juice & simmer over low heat
for 15 minutes more. This is sufficient to tenderized chicken &
ingrate all seasonings.
To prepare rice:
Bring 4 c water & salt to a boil in pan. Add rice & cook over
moderate heat for 5 minutes. Drain rice in colander & rinse with
cold water. Return rice to pan and pour oil over all. Cover pan &
cook over low heat for 1/2 hour. No other water is added & rice
cooks only moisture clings to it after rinsing. The rice will
develop a crisp bottom layer.
Serve rice & stew separately. Each diner takes their own portion
of rice & covers it w/as much stew as they wish. Serve warm.
VARIATION:
2 lb of boneless beef chuck cut into 6 equal pieces may be used in
place of chicken, but cooking will take longer. Cook beef stew
over moderate heat for 1 hour. Add coriander, dill, & lemon juice,
reduce heat to low, & simmer, covered, 1/2 hour more, or until beef
is tender.
Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created
in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992
Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. D. Pileggi
