i was cooking lemony saffron chicken stew
djaj may narenj is the best arab dish you've never heard of. plus, a perfect pot of rice
Wowee that last send date was a lie. So much happened since the last newsletter three months ago: I stressed myself out about needing to write something “groundbreaking” as opposed to uhh … sharing fun+doable recipes with my friends? Armenia got pulled into and lost a war with neighbouring Azerbaijan over a decades-disputed territory and is now facing the aftermath of rebuilding and protests for a new Prime Minister. My family members in Armenia got and then got over covid-19. My workplace shut down after a team member tested positive and reopened once we all tested negative, but now we’re receiving news nearly daily about employees at other locations getting sick too. In short, everything is garbage.
There’s a fog and I can’t quite see anything past December. Besides the obvious, I worry that the work of BLM activists in June is being erased and that climate change isn’t at the forefront of our conversations. I’m working on carving out peaceful bubbles for myself and the friends I keep in touch with digitally, to find a way to be with one another without fixating on the contagious elephant in the room. The aim is that not focusing on the doom and gloom of covid 24/7 will allow me the energy to focus on actionable activism, as opposed to feelings of constant anger and defeat.
It’s frivolous, but in dark and lonely times I think of the homiest thing I know: my mom’s cooking. Djaj may narenj is the best Iraqi dish you’ve never heard of. Chicken thighs and potatoes are stewed in a thick, vibrant yellow broth comprised of saffron, lemon juice, cardamom, and orange blossom water, all served atop a fresh pot of perfect white rice. If available at your local Armenian/Iranian/Middle Eastern market, narenj is the appropriate citrus juice to use in this recipe, but lemons work perfectly too. The name literally translates to “chicken orange water” and I literally could not find any recipes online, besides this restaurant-ready version which I couldn’t bother testing. As I write this, I get the sinking feeling that djaj may narenj may actually be a Persian dish, in which case, this is all just a testament to the similar palates and ingredient-sharing so prevalent in the Middle East.
I changed up the traditional method and chose to sear the chicken thighs before simmering them, giving them a golden brown skin. When searing, it’s important not to disturb the meat or vegetable you’re aiming to brown. They only get that deep-gold caramelised colour when they’re left alone for a bit on high heat. I ask that you season the chicken one side at a time to avoid excessive oil splatter and ensure better browning. Salting draws water from meat and vegetables, causing them to “sweat.” This sweating delays good browning.
Another huge part of this recipe is getting the rice right. If you’ve ever been afraid of cooking rice without a rice cooker, fear not: you’ve come to the right place. Good rice only takes a cheap pot, a fitting lid, oil, and 25 minutes. Beware: nowhere in the rice-cooking process are you allowed to remove the lid and peak in on what’s happening to your grains, as steaming the rice is half the process.
Iraqi lemon saffron chicken stew
makes 2 servings
the stuff:
for the chicken
2 chicken legs, skin-on and bone-in
1 large yukon gold potato
3 tbsp canola oil, divided
2 tbsp flour
pinch of real (~7 threads) or possibly fake saffron (~15+ threads)
6 cardamom pods, crushed open, or 1 tsp ground
1 tbsp orange blossom water
2 lemons, juiced, divided
1/4 cup water
salt, to taste
for the rice
1 cup medium- or long-grain rice. I love California Basmati
3 cups water
salt, 1 half of a Maggi chicken buillon cube, or a mix of both
1/4 cup short vermicelli (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
a note on saffron: I haven’t for the life of me been able to find good Iranian saffron in Boston. The Armenian stores in Watertown don’t seem to carry it (unless I’m not looking hard enough) and the one I got from a Turkish store in Allston was definitely fake. The one I used in this recipe is Spanish saffron from Christina’s Spice+Specialty Foods in Somerville, which was reasonably priced and hasn’t failed me taste-wise. I haven’t tried whatever Whole Foods is selling.
the way:
Set a saucepan or preferably a 4qt dutch oven over medium high heat. Warm ¼ cup water in the pot to latte drinking temperature. Pour the warm water into a small bowl or glass and add the pinch of saffron. Allow it to bloom for 15 minutes. Dry the pot and set it back onto the stove.
Add 1 tbsp canola oil to the pot. While the oil heats, pat dry chicken thighs and season with salt on skin side (the presentation side) ONLY. Once the oil shimmers and looks as fluid as water, add the chicken thighs skin-side down to your pot. Allow to sear, undisturbed, for six minutes, until skin is golden brown and the legs easily release from the pot.
After the six minutes, salt the chicken thighs on the bottom side while they’re in the pot and flip. Allow to sear for 4 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.
Add two tablespoons of oil to the pot. Immediately add 2 tablespoons flour and mix with a wooden spoon. The roux will froth before thickening. Once cohesive, add the cup of saffron water and 1bsp orange blossom water. Add four cups water, cardamom pods, juice of one lemon, and a large pinch of salt. Raise the heat to high and reduce to a simmer after it reaches a boil. While the spiced broth comes to a boil, peel, wash, and cube the potato. Make the cubes as large as possible to avoid having them cook too fast—I cut them into 2 inch cubes. Do not wash after cutting to maintain their starches.
Simmer the broth for 20 minutes before adding the potatoes, chicken thighs, and any accumulated chicken juices. Cook the stew for another 15 minutes until the potato and chicken legs cook through. The stew is ready when the potatoes are pierced easily with a fork. Once ready, taste test the broth. Is it salty and lemony enough? If not, add the saved lemon juice and up the salt. Stir, taste again, and serve.
Separately, wash your rice until its water runs clear. Drain the rice. Set a medium pot over medium high heat and add barely enough olive oil to coat the bottom. [If using, toss in the 1/4 cup vermicelli. Brown until the vermicelli is the colour of dark caramel.] Quickly and carefully dump the washed and drained rice into the pot, add a pinch of salt or bouillon, and mix with a wooden spoon. Add 3 cups water, less depending on what the packaging instructions of the rice say. Allow the rice to come to a simmer, lower the heat to medium low, and put a lid on the rice pot. Keep at a low simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Steam for 10 minute, without ever removing the lid. Once ready, fluff with a fork.
Plate the rice, place a chicken thigh atop it, and spoon a few potato cubes and some of the sauce over it. Take a photo and thank me later.
Cooking:
I just made myself a batch of Samin Nosrat’s “Buttermilk Panna Cotta” from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and it’s gotta be the most complex-tasting ten minute dessert in existence. I also had a good time dusting off the instant pot my first roommate Chris left me to make this Indian Masala Butter Chicken over rice. I’m still recovering from the excesses of the Thanksgiving dinner I cooked up for three (tested negative) friends and trying to focus on vegetable-forward meals next week.
has a plate of leftovers ever looked so good?
It used to be fashionable around the holidays to say I’m avoiding takeout but the truth is that I’m terrified for the survival of restaurants this winter. So my new year’s resolution is to actually get takeout and tip whenever I can. I’m also looking into getting holiday gifts this year through local restaurants and businesses I love (thinking of: Juliet’s new retail store, MEM tea, Boston Chai Party, TAZA chocolate).
Doing:
I’ve started doing the New York Times crossword but focusing on only the Monday puzzle, which is the easiest of the week. I’m pleasantly surprised with how proud I feel completing these. I’m also trying to do (a lot) less when it comes to online shopping and browsing. I managed to eke out my first few journal entries since March, and finally sending out this newsletter feels like breaking a month’s long writer’s block.
Consuming:
I’ve been reading In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, which is going to break my heart, I just know it. I’m finally on the The Crown bus and taking a lot of joy hearing the escalating dramatic music when there’s nothing outrageous at all happening on screen. I cannot stop listening to Gwen Stefani’s “You Make it Feel Like Christmas” and dreaming of a gingerbread cake I’d actually enjoy eating.