Chicken Machboos

Season the chicken pieces with salt, one tablespoon of baharat, and turmeric. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on all sides for eight minutes until deeply golden. Remove and set aside on a plate.

In the same pot, add the remaining oil and fry the sliced onions over medium heat for ten minutes until deeply caramelized and dark golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste to the caramelized onions. Cook for five minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes break down into a thick, concentrated sauce. Add the remaining baharat, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and pierced dried lime.

Return the browned chicken to the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for twenty-five minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is deeply flavoured.

Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and set aside, keeping them warm. Add the rinsed rice to the broth, stir once, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for twenty minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquid.

Arrange the cooked chicken pieces on top of the rice, cover again, and let everything steam together for ten minutes on the lowest heat. This final steaming melds the flavours and allows the rice to finish cooking in the fragrant chicken-scented steam.

Transfer the machboos to a large serving platter with the rice mounded in the centre and chicken pieces arranged around and on top. Sprinkle with a few drops of rose water, scatter fried onions and toasted almonds over everything, and serve family-style.