Recipe: Heart-Healthy Lunch – Chicken Machboos

Chicken machboos is a very popular dish throughout the Arabian Gulf region. This recipe replaces salt with various herbs and spices to make it not only flavorful, but also healthier.

Always try to use fresh ingredients instead of packaged or tinned products to significantly reduce the amount of salt in your meal. Reducing salt in your diet can help lower your blood pressure or prevent high blood pressure from developing.

Ingredients:

• 500g of chicken breast
• 500g of basmati rice - soaked (for about 5 minutes) and drained
• 1 small potato, chopped into big pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 dried limes, make a hole through each lime with a knife
• 1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ green chilli pepper (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 1 tablespoon saffron

Preparation method:

1. Remove the skin from the chicken breast and brown it in a pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
2. Fry the onions and carrots in a pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the onions are golden
3. Add the garlic, eggplant, dried lime, chilli pepper, and spices (turmeric and cumin). Stir for a few minutes.
4. Add the potato and chicken to the pot and stir in.
5. Pour enough water in the pot to completely cover the chicken.
6. Cover the pot and simmer over medium heat until the potato is cooked.
7. Add the soaked rice and coriander to the pot and bring it to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat, sprinkle rose water and saffron on top.
9. Cover the pot and leave it on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is well cooked.
10. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.