Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Chicken & Plum Stew



Actually Chicken and Prune Stew is more accurate for the name, since we use dried plums and not fresh ones. My grandma makes this stew with very ripe plums, apples and carrots, everything fresh, I love it. But for this stew I am eliminating apple and carrot since I think the rich taste of plums/prunes deserves a stew of its own. This stew should be served with rice, like most of Persian stews. For cooking rice please check the direction on one of my previous recipes like here.
















Chicken & Plum Stew:


Preparation & Cooking Time: 45 - 50 minutes
4 Servings

Ingredients:

6 to 8 Chicken Thighs: about 1 Lb. I use skinless and boneless chicken thighs (washed: I almost wash everything). Since I love chicken breast and not thighs I always put 1 or 2 pieces of chicken breast for myself and deduct the same number from the thighs. The chicken breast is drier and less fatty than the thighs and so for this stew I think thighs work better.

½ cup Prunes: about 10 average size dried plums. Cut each prune in half. No need to wash them.
1 Onion: (average size) diced
2 tbsp Canola Oil
1 ½ tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Tomato Paste: (Optional: when I use tomato paste I do not use sugar)
1½ cup Water: Usually chicken produces enough juice while cooking: but I add some more water after all the juice is out.

Spices:
1tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Persian Saffron: If you cannot have Persian Saffron, you have no choice but to use the average quality Spanish saffron.
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1- Heat the pot and add the canola oil. Add diced onions and fry them until their color changes to semi golden (about 3 minutes). Add turmeric powder to the pot, stir and let the turmeric fries with the onions for about 1 minute.

2- Add your rinsed chicken thighs to the pot. Stir and close the lid. The chicken’s color changes after about 5 minutes. Now add the water and pepper. Bring the water to boil and then let the pot stay on medium heat. If you are using tomato paste you should add it at this stage. Then let the chickens cook for another 10 minutes.

3- Add the prunes, saffron and Sugar and let the chicken cook completely. At the end add some salt. I found Prunes and Sugar complete each other’s taste. They also give a very rich color to the meat.

4- Your stew is ready in 45 to 50 minutes. Serve with rice.



نوش جان
(Noushe Jan)
Bon Appetit!


6 comments:

jeerjeerak said...

i ran into this recipe for an apple cake today. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6521353
it looks very simlliar to your pear cake. We have an excess of apples in the fridge that i want to get rid of before i go on my trip!

Tameshk said...

How did it come out? I mean the apple cake? I love apple pie, and I love apples so I am positive that I like apple cake.

Laura Negus said...

Tameshk, I read Marjane Satrapi's Chicken with Plums and wanted to find a recipe to try it myself.
Yours was so delicious. Rave reviews from the whole dinner party. Thank you!

Tameshk said...

Dear Laura,
I am so glad you liked the recipe. Thanks for leaving a comment about it. It is so encouraging.

Best,
Tameshk (Roja)

NF said...

Thank you for all your recipes! I'm making some starting tomorrow :), with the celery stew.

Anonymous said...

Hi - I tried your prune and chicken stew and it was delicious - thanks so much. Am I the only one who has asked about your Grandma's recipe that uses ripe plums, carrots and apples? If you have it handy, or know where I could find it on the net, I'd be very grateful. Thanks, Zafar
(zafareallyzaf@yahoo.com)