Bowl of Chicken in Tomato Sauce
(click to enlarge)

Chicken in Tomato Sauce


Egypt   -   Feerakh bel Tamatem
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 5 main
***
2 hrs
Yes		 A very fine Egyptian dish, but not ancient. Chickens were used for cock fighting by 1400 BCE, but not much eaten until around 300 BCE. Tomatoes didn't arrive until the mid 1500s CE.




3
1-1/4
12
3
2
3
1
1
------
1/2
1/2
2
1/2
1/3
------
#
#
oz
cl
T
T
T
c
---
t
t

T
t
---
Chicken Meat (1)  
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Lemon Juice
Ghee (2)
Flour
Stock
-- Seasonings
Nutmeg
Cumin Seed
Bay Leaves
Salt
Pepper
-----------
Prep   -   (20 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN into the size serving pieces you want. I suggest 1-1/2 inch cubes for buffet service, a bit larger for table service.
  2. Scald TOMATOES in boiling water 1 minute. Peel and dice large.
  3. Cut ONIONS in half lengthwise (or quarters if large) and slice thin crosswise.
  4. Crush GARLIC and chop fine.
  5. Squeeze Lemon Juice.
  6. Grind Seasoning spices as needed.
Run   -   (1-1/2 hr)
  1. In a spacious sauté pan heat Ghee and fry Chicken until lightly browned, being careful not to burn the fond that sticks to the pan. Drain (leaving oil in pan) and set aside.
  2. Check Ghee, there should be a tablespoon, if not, add some. Fry Onions stirring until soft, then stir in Garlic for about 1 minute. Stir in Flour just long enough to make a blonde roux (raw taste gone).
  3. Stir in Stock, Tomatoes and all Seasoning items and bring to a boil. Stir in Chicken, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
  4. Turn off heat and stir in Lemon Juice. Serve hot.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      I always use thigh meat and/or leg meat for better flavor and texture than the cardboard breast meat we get here in North America. The pattern recipe used a whole 5 pound chicken cut into serving pieces, which you can do if you desire your chicken "bone in".

  2. Ghee:

      This is a highly clarified butter, available in markets serving Indian and Middle Eastern communities. Whole butter cannot be used because it burns at a low temperature. If you are still afraid of butter, Olive Oil could be used, but the flavor will be quite different.
  3. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove ",in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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