Chicken with rice and eggplant
6 servings
180 minutes
Chicken with rice and eggplants is a fragrant dish of Latvian cuisine that combines the tenderness of chicken meat with the richness of spices and vegetables. The meat is marinated in a spicy sauce, absorbing rich Eastern notes of curry, cumin, and coriander before being fried to a golden crust. Basmati rice cooked with saffron, cardamom, and cinnamon acquires a subtle floral aroma. Eggplants and zucchinis are baked separately to retain their juiciness while carrots are caramelized with lemon juice to create a balance of sweetness and acidity. The dish is garnished with fresh herbs and sun-dried tomatoes for added zest. This dish combines vibrant flavors and textures, making it perfect for both cozy family dinners and festive gatherings.
1
Remove the bones from the chicks and marinate the meat for at least 2 hours, preferably up to a day. Fry the chicks in a pan or bake them in the oven until cooked.
- Chick: 1 kg
2
For the marinade, combine all ingredients (10g curry, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1.5 tsp coriander, 100g sugar, 12g salt, bay leaf, 20g grated ginger, 500 ml of 9% vinegar, 100 ml red wine vinegar, and 250 ml water) and bring to a boil. Let it cool.
- Curry: 11 g
- Ground cumin (zira): 3 teaspoons
- Ground coriander: 2 teaspoons
- Sugar: 103 g
- Salt: to taste
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
- Grated ginger: 20 g
- Vinegar 9%: 500 ml
- Red wine vinegar: 100 ml
- Water: 250 ml
3
Fry all the spices (1–2 g cardamom, 1 g saffron, 1 stick of cinnamon, 5 cloves, 2 tbsp dried onion, 1 tsp cumin, 80 g butter) and coarsely chopped red onion over low heat, add rice and fry a little more. Then pour in boiling water, cover with a lid and simmer on the lowest heat for 14–15 minutes.
- Cardamom: 2 g
- Saffron: 1 g
- Cinnamon sticks: 1 piece
- Carnation: 5 piece
- Ground dried onion: 2 tablespoons
- Red onion: 2 heads
- Butter: 80 g
- Basmati rice: 200 g
4
Cut the eggplant, zucchini, and carrot into segments. Slice the shallots and leek into rings.
- Eggplants: 0.5 piece
- Zucchini: 0.5 piece
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Shallots: 1 piece
- Leek: 1 piece
5
Sauté all spices (0.5 tsp curry, 0.5 tsp cumin, 0.5 tsp coriander), carrot, and ginger in oil over low heat. Then add sugar (3g) and caramelize the carrot. Add water or vegetable broth and simmer. Add lemon juice to taste.
- Curry: 11 g
- Ground cumin (zira): 3 teaspoons
- Ground coriander: 2 teaspoons
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Ginger: 10 g
- Sugar: 103 g
- Water: 250 ml
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: 25 ml
6
Bake the eggplant and zucchini separately, chop them, and add to all the other ingredients.
- Eggplants: 0.5 piece
- Zucchini: 0.5 piece
7
Serve with chopped greens and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Coriander: 10 g
- Parsley: 10 g
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: to taste