Chicken and Mushroom Pilau

Chicken Favourites, p. 45

300 g (1 ½ cups) basmati rice

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

500 g (10 ½ oz) Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced

90 g (3/4 cup) slivered almonds, toasted

1 ½ - 2 teaspoons garam masala, dry roasted

125 g (1/2 cup) plain yoghurt

1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves, plus extra, to garnish

Lots of prep work on this one, but if you're like me and you enjoy chopping things, it's pretty fun.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and leave for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and stir in the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes, or until the onion is browned. Increase the heat to high, add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly browned.

Stir in the mushrooms, almonds and garam masala. Cook, covered, for 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the lid and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates. 

So much variation in texture, already!

Remove the chicken pieces from the pan.

Now THIS step is just annoying. They tell you to cut the chicken pieces up small, and then they tell you to go searching for all of them in the middle of a bunch of other tiny things. Sometimes recipe authors are jerks. 

Add the rice to the pan and stir for 30 seconds, or until well coated in the mushroom and onion mixture.

...not to mention that you put them right back in very soon thereafter. 

Pour in 375 ml (1 ½ cups) water and bring to the boil, stirring frequently to prevent the ingredients catching on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated. Return the chicken to the pan, reduce the heat to low and steam, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt and chopped coriander in a small bowl. 

A nice accent: creamy and fresh-tasting.

Fluff the rice with a fork, then divide among serving bowls. Top with a dollop of the yoghurt mixture and garnish with coriander leaves. 

Oh, hello there, dinner.

My Rating: 3/5 "I had a hard time deciding between a 3/5 and a 4/5 on this one. The flavor of this dish is subtle and not especially snazzy. On the other hand, it's filling, it makes a lot, and it keeps really well, all of which are very important concerns for grad students such as myself. So let your druthers fall where they may."