Curried Chicken and Rice with Cranberries

Tuesday Nights p. 19

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

South Asian biryani, a mixture of rice, spices and meat, inspired this aromatic, flavor-packed recipe. We use coconut water to cook the rice, it adds just a touch of richness and a savory-sweet quality that works perfectly with the curry and cardamom. Mango chutney is a great complement for this dish.

Step 2

Don't stir too much after adding the rice to the skillet. If allowed to cook undis-turbed for a few minutes, the mixture forms a crisp, flavorful crust on the bottom. A wide metal spatula is ideal for scraping up the browned bits.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the oil, the ginger, curry powder, cardamom, 2½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to form a paste. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the paste to a large saucepan and set aside. Add the chicken to the bowl with the remaining paste and stir to coat. Marinate at room temperature while you cook the rice.

Step 4

Stir the rice and 1% cups of the coconut water into the paste in the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cover, reduce to low and cook until mostly tender but still slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Set aside.

Step 5

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until golden brown. about 5 minutes. Push the shallots to the side, then add the chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 min-utes. Stir the shallots into the chicken, add ½ cup of the remaining coconut water and, using a metal spatula, scrape up any browned bits. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has evaporated, about 20 seconds.

Step 6

Add the rice, the remaining ½ cup coconut water and the cranberries. Stir. then cook undisturbed over medium-high until the rice begins to crisp and brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add the lime juice. Using the spatula, stir to combine while scraping along the bottom to loosen the crust. Stir in 2 cups of the cilantro, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cilantro.