Leo's Saudi Chicken Kabsa

1 free-range chicken

1 large onion, finely sliced.

1 tbsp grated ginger

2 tbsp orange zest

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin (I use ½ tbsp cumin seeds and ½ tbsp ground cumin)

½ tbsp ground cardamom

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tin tomatoes

1 dried persian lime (or juice of half a lime or lemon; or ½ tbsp sumac)

3 medium potatoes, halved or quartered.

500ml water

1 cup, almonds (boiled, peeled and sliced)

½ cup julienned carrots

½ cup sultanas

2 tsp raw sugar

3 cups soaked basmati rice

3 tbsp oil

Sauté onion in a pot with 2 tbsp oil. When the onion is translucent, add fresh grated ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Divide chicken into halves or quarters. Add to the pot and cook until browned nicely on each side. Then add: orange zest, ground coriander, cumin, ground cardamom, ground cloves, pepper and salt. When aromatic, add tomato paste and mix well to combine. When tomato paste has darkened, add chopped tomatoes, one dried persian lime and simmer for a 3 or 4 minutes. Add potatoes and water 500ml water and cook for another 25 minutes, covered.

In a frypan, toast some almonds in 1 tbsp of oil and then transfer to absorbent paper. To the remainder of the oil, add carrots and sultanas and raw sugar. Cook until sultanas are swollen and lightly browned and a syrup has formed. Transfer to a bowl.

Take chicken out of pot and set aside on a baking dish.

Add the soaked rice into the pot. Cover with a clean dish cloth and then put the lid on top. Cook for 10 minutes on medium high heat. Remove from heat and allow to continue to steam until rice is soft.

Place the baking dish with the chicken pieces in the oven to broil for 5 to 10 minutes until the skin is lightly golden.

Serve rice on a large plate. Lay the chicken on top of the rice and then sprinkle with almonds and sultanas and carrot.

(For slow cooker, when onions are cooked, transfer to slow cooker. Then add chicken to original pot and cook until golden on each side. Transfer chicken to slow cooker. Finally cook spices in original pot with tomato paste. When tomato paste is dark, add chopped tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker and set to cook for 4 - 5 hours.)