Pilaf with chicken stuffed with nut filling, "Levengi pilaf"
6 servings
120 minutes
Levenqi pilaf is a jewel of Azerbaijani cuisine, rich in the aromas of Eastern spices and traditional nut filling. This dish has roots in the ancient culinary traditions of the South Caucasus, where levenqi—a filling made of walnuts, onions, and sweet-sour turshu—gives chicken an exquisite taste and juiciness. The chicken, infused with saffron aromas, is slowly roasted to a golden crust, while the delicate basmati rice, colored with turmeric and saffron, melts in the mouth. Levenqi pilaf is served at festive tables, symbolizing the richness of flavor nuances and the generosity of hospitable Azerbaijani cuisine. This dish not only satisfies hunger but also provides a sense of coziness and traditional home warmth.
1
For the filling, pass the walnuts through a meat grinder or chop them in a blender.
- Walnuts: 300 g
2
Do the same with the onion and squeeze it to remove excess moisture.
- Onion: 2 heads
3
Mix ground nuts, onion, and turshu; season with salt and pepper to taste. Turshu is a sauce made from sweet-sour fruits like cherry plum, plums, apples, pomegranates, etc. The fruits are boiled separately or together (cherry plum and plums or cherry plum and apples) over low heat with a little water and some salt to create a thick mass.
- Walnuts: 300 g
- Onion: 2 heads
- Turshu (pickled vegetable relish): 3 tablespoons
- Salt: 2 teaspoons
- Ground black pepper: 0.5 teaspoon
4
We wash the chicken, gut it, and clean it.
- Chicken: 1 piece
5
We thoroughly rub it with a little bit of sourness (as a result, the chicken turns golden, and the crust is simply delicious).
- Turshu (pickled vegetable relish): 3 tablespoons
6
We salt, pepper it, and stuff it with levengi. If you have leftover levengi, you can send it to the freezer. Personally, I always prepare it from at least one kilogram of walnuts, divide it into portions, and I always have filling ready.
- Salt: 2 teaspoons
- Ground black pepper: 0.5 teaspoon
- Walnuts: 300 g
- Onion: 2 heads
7
The chicken's belly can be sewn or simply secured with a toothpick.
- Chicken: 1 piece
8
Let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes, then bake for 1 to 1.5 hours at 180-190 degrees. Check for doneness periodically.
9
We prepare pilaf with 2 cups of basmati rice for 3-4 people. Boil water and add salt.
- Basmati rice: 2 glasss
- Water: 2 l
- Salt: 2 teaspoons
10
First, we clean and wash the rice.
- Basmati rice: 2 glasss
11
Separately brew a little saffron (soak 3-4 saffron threads in warm water).
- Saffron: 4 pieces
12
We bring the rice to a boil, it should be cooked to 60%-70%, then drain it. Prepare a large pot.
13
We pour a small amount of oil at the bottom of the dish (I usually use olive oil, but butter and ghee can also be used).
- Vegetable oil: 0.5 glass
14
Next, layer the rice and sprinkle with turmeric. In the end, there are several layers of rice and turmeric.
- Turmeric: 2 teaspoons
15
At the end, we pour saffron broth over the rice and place pieces of butter in 5-6 spots.
- Saffron: 4 pieces
- Butter: 100 g
16
Tightly cover the pot with a kitchen towel-wrapped lid and let it simmer on very low heat for 40-50 minutes.
