175 – Saleeg Recipe – Saudi Rice Dish

Ingredients :

• Two 1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut in half lengthwise (total 3 pounds of chicken)
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 4 whole cardamom pods
• 1 small onion, peeled
• Butter
• Clarified butter (ghee)
• Sea salt + Ground Pepper (to taste)
• 2 cups rice (1 cup American rice, 1 cup Egyptian rice)
• 2 cups milk
• 100 grams butter
• 1/2 tablespoon ajinomoto (optional)
• 2 tablespoons rock sea salt

Directions :

Cooking the Chicken:
1- Place the chicken in a pot and cover with with boiling water. Add the peppercorns, cardamom pods, and peeled onion (whole).
2- Cover the pot and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until the chicken is done.
3- Remove the chicken from the water (do not discard the water), and place on a baking dish. Brush with soften butter and sprinkle with rock sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove the onion from the water (pot) and discard.
4- Let the chicken sit on the counter while you are cooking the rice. Just before serving the dish, pop the chicken in the oven and broil it until it become crispy.

Cooking the Rice:
1- Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes before using it in this recipe.
2- Once you remove the chicken and onion from the boiling water,  strain the rice and add it to the pot.
3-  Cover the pot, and cook the rice on medium-high  / high heat for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Also, add water if necessary the rice should always be in a sauce like a thick soup.
4- After 30 minutes, the rice should be done. Add the milk, 100 grams of butter, ajimoto, and 2 tablespoons of rock sea salt. Mix. Uncover, and let cook for another 10 minutes.
5- now your rice is done. It should have a creamy thick consistency.

Last Steps:
1- Use a large dish that is flat and not too deep.
2- Pour the rice mixture in the dish. Broil the chicken, then place it in the center of the rice. Since the dish is not too deep, the chicken does not sink into the rice. Whatever litte melted butter left in the baking pan, pour it over the chicken. Also, brush the chicken with a little ghee (clarified butter) to give it a unique flavor.
3- Serve hot, immediately. Eat with a spoon!
Enjoy!