Saed News: Behshahri chicken pilaf is one of the traditional dishes of Behshahr, made with a combination of chicken, potatoes, and various types of tomato paste. The taste of this dish is tangy and mildly sweet, and it is very delicious.
According to Saed News' culinary service, to make this delicious dish, first sauté onions with garlic, chicken, tomato paste, and various seasonings. Then, parboil the rice. Cut the potatoes into cubes and fry them in oil.
According to Ekalablog, next, layer the rice and the prepared ingredients in a pot and let the rice steam for about 45 minutes. Read the full recipe for this tasty dish below.
Traditional Dish
Ingredients for Behshahri Chicken Pilaf for 2 people
2 cups of French measuring rice
3 medium potatoes
300 grams of chicken fillet
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of pomegranate paste
1/2 tablespoon of plum paste
1/2 tablespoon of sour orange paste
2 tablespoons of brewed saffron
Salt, turmeric, and black pepper to taste
Oil as needed
Preparation Method
Step 1: Sauté the onion and garlic
Wash and peel the onion, then chop it into small pieces.
Add some oil to a pan and heat it. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes.
When the onions become soft, wash the garlic, grate it finely, and add it to the pan with the onions. Fry for a few minutes until the garlic fragrance is released.
Step 2: Add the chicken
Wash the chicken fillet and cut it into cubes. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté them with the garlic and onion until golden brown.
Step 3: Add the seasonings and pastes
Add turmeric, salt, and black pepper to the chicken. After a minute, mix the pomegranate paste, plum paste, and sour orange paste in a bowl with hot water to dilute. Pour this mixture into the pan and stir it well with the chicken and onion.
Let the chicken cook slowly and the excess water in the pan evaporate. Once done, turn off the heat.
You can add more paste if you'd like the chicken to be more flavorful.
Step 4: Soak the rice
Wash the rice several times and soak it in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then move to the next step.
Step 5: Fry the potatoes
Wash two of the potatoes, peel them, and cut them into small cubes.
Rinse the potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch.
Place the potatoes on a cloth to dry them well.
Add oil to a pan and heat it. Add the potatoes and fry them until golden. Remove them from the oil and place them on a plate.
Step 6: Parboil the rice
Place a pot of water on heat and add salt and oil to it.
Once the water boils, add the soaked rice and cook for about 10 minutes until the outer part of the rice softens while the inner part is still firm, then drain the rice.
Step 7: Prepare the bottom of the rice
Add some oil to a pot and slice the remaining potato into thin rounds. Arrange the slices at the bottom of the pot.
Step 8: Layer everything in the pot
Place some of the drained rice over the potatoes. Add some of the meat and potato mixture on top.
Continue layering the rice and chicken until all the ingredients are used up.
Pour some brewed saffron over the rice and cover the pot.
Step 9: Cook the dish
Place the pot on low heat and let the rice steam for 45 minutes.
Once the dish is ready, serve it in a suitable dish and enjoy the flavor.
It is recommended to serve this dish with olives, fresh herbs, yogurt, or a salad.
Tips and Tricks for Making Behshahri Chicken Pilaf
🔹Use boneless chicken fillet or breast for this dish.
🔹If preferred, you can only use pomegranate paste for flavoring instead of various pastes.
🔹The level of tanginess in this dish is up to personal preference, so you can adjust the amount of paste accordingly.
🔹For the bottom layer, you can use saffron rice or bread instead of potatoes.
🔹To make the rice cook better, you can use a lid holder to cover the pot.
🔹If you prefer, you can use the fried potatoes for garnish on top of the dish instead of mixing them with the rice.
🔹For decoration, you can add some sautéed barberries.
