Kuwaiti Chicken Biryani And Vermicelli Pudding by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients For Kuwaiti Chicken Biryani:

• Rice  1/2 cup
• Ghee  3 tbsp
• Onion  1 medium
• Garlic  2 cloves
• Grated ginger 1 tsp
• Chicken breast  1/2 kg
• Chicken stock  2 cubes
• Tomatoes  2 medium
• Yogurt  1/2 cup
  
• Lemon juice  1 tsp
  
• Tomato paste  2 tbsp
  
• All spice powder  1 1/2 tbsp
  
• Ground turmeric  1/2 tsp
  
• Coriander leaves 2 tbsp
  
• Fresh mint  2 tbsp
  
• Saffron essence  1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Place rice, and water in a medium saucepan and cook with stirring until it boils.
2. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked.
3. Remove from heat and spread over a large platter to cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile, heat ghee in large saucepan, cook onion with stirring for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown in color.
5. Add garlic and ginger and stir fragrant.
6. Add chicken and stir until its cooked.
7. Add chicken stock cubes, tomatoes, yogurt, lemon juice, tomato paste and spices.
8. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and set aside.
   
10. In a medium pot, place half the quantity of the presented rice and the chicken mixture on top.
11. Sprinkle the chopped coriander and mint over the mixture and cover the top with tee remaining rice.
12. Pour the saffron essence on top.
13. Cover firmly with the pot and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is completely cooked.
    

Ingredients For Vermicelli Pudding:

• Milk  1 liter
  
• Sugar  5 tbsp
  
• Cardamom powder  1/4 tsp
  
• Vermicelli pasta  1 packet
  
• Raisins  8

Method:

1. Bring milk and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Stir broken vermicelli pasta and raisins and add cardamom powder into milk mixture and simmer until pasta is tender and the pudding has thickened, about 5 more minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let stand until warm, about 15 minutes.
4. If pudding is too thick, stir in a little milk.