Jute mallow and chicken stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 whole chicken (3lb)
- 8 cups water
- 2 onions sliced into quarters
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cardamom pods, bruised
- 2 lb mloukhiya leaves (fresh or frozen), washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup clarified butter
- 20 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped coarsely
Directions
- In a large pot heat the vegetable oil and sauté the whole chicken to brown all over. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Skim off the scum that floats to the surface and discard.
- Add the onions, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cardamom pods. Continue to cook gently, covered, for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Strain the stock using a colander set over a second pot. Remove the chicken and debone. Set the meat aside.
- Return the stock to the heat, stir in the mloukhiya leaves (if you’re using frozen leaves, you can add them without defrosting) and allow to come to a boil. Add the ground spices, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
- In a frying pan heat the butter, sauté the garlic for 1 minutes and add the cilantro. Allow to cook together for an additional 3 minutes. Pour over the mloukhiya stew and let simmer for 10 minutes more.
- Remove from the heat and drop in the reserved chicken. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon, chopped cilantro and vermicelli rice on the side.
