Seasoned Rice with Chicken and Pineapple (Nasi Kebuli)

Seasoned Rice with Chicken and Pineapple (Nasi Kebuli)

Ingredients:

1 lb (500 g) boneless chicken, diced

3 cups (750) chicken stock or 1 ½ teaspoon chicken stock granules

Dissolved in 3 cups (750 ml) warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (400 g) uncooked rice, washed

½ small pineapple (about 8 oz/ 250 g)

Crispy Fried Shallots, to garnish

Rice Seasoning:

2 tablespoon butter or oil

6 shallots, peeled and sliced

5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

3 cardamom pods, bruised

2 cloves

1 stalk lemongrass, thick bottom third only, outer layers discarded, inner part bruised

1 in (2 ½ cm) fresh ginger, peeled and thiny sliced

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon white peppercorns

Cooking Directions:

1. Prepare the Crispy Fried Shallots
2. To make the rice seasoning, heat the butter or oil in a work over high and stir-fry all the ingredients until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes
3. Add the chicken to the work and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, mix well and season with the salt, then bring the ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered until the chicken is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, Strain and reserve the stock. Set the chicken pieces aside and discard all the other solids
4. Bring the uncooked rice and 2 ½ cup (625 ml) of the reserved stock to a boil over high heat in a pot. Reduces the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the rice is almost cooked and the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken, mix well and continue to simmer uncovered until the rice is fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Alternatively, cook the rice in a rice cooker with 2 ½ cups (625 ml) of the reserved stock and add the chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking.