Ingredients

• 2 chickens, 1.5 kg each, cut into portions

• 375 ml oil

• 12 medium onions, finely chopped

• 12 medium potatoes cubed

• 600 g rice

• 250 ml red lentils

• 15 ml ground coriander

• 5 ml saffron

• 2 sticks cinnamon

• 4 bay leaves

• 10 cardamom seeds

• 5 ml cumin seeds

• 15 ml turmeric

• 15 ml chopped chillies

• 3 tomatoes, skinned and coarsely chopped

• 125 ml lemon juice

• 10 ml salt

• black peppercorns

• 8 cloves garlic

• 500 ml plain yogurt

• 2 pieces fresh root ginger, crushed

• 8 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and thinly sliced

Method

1. Heat oil in a frying pan and brown onions. Remove and set aside.

2. Add potatoes to pan and sauté until lightly browned. Remove, drain on absorbent paper and set aside.

3. Cook rice in salted boiling water until almost tender but still firm.

4. Boil lentils for a few minutes in salted water, then drain.

5. Combine rice, lentils and a quarter fried onions.

6. Rub salt into chicken pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

7. Combine coriander, saffron, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, chillies, tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, peppercorns, remaining fried onion, garlic, yoghurt and ginger in a bowl. Pour over chicken and leave for 30 minutes.

8. Invert a heavy dinner plate in a large saucepan to cover bottom completely.

9. Arrange ingredients on top of plate as follows:

   1. 9.1. half browned potatoes, sprinkled with 5 ml oil

   2. 9.2. chicken and marinade

   3. 9.3. hard-boiled eggs

   4. 9.4. rice and lentils

   5. 9.5. remaining potatoes

   6. 9.6. rest of oil sprinkled over contents.

10. Close tightly and simmer, without stirring, for 1½ hours.