A recipe for Tagine de Poulet by Nadiya Hussain

This Ramadan we share recipes from Nadiya Hussain’s cookbook, Rooza, including this delicious chicken tagine served with rice, onion and beid hamine.

Nadiya Hussain’s new cookbook Rooza, published by Penguin Michael Joseph, celebrates the cuisines of Islamic cultures across the world. 

It includes recipes for main meals and desserts to be enjoyed during the Ramadan period.

This week is inspired by Algeria as we share Hussain’s recipe for Tagine de Poulet served with rice, onions and beid hamine (traditionally cooked eggs) 

Hussain says ‘Algerian food is something my mind never even ventured to until a few years ago when I realised there were so many Algerian Muslim pop stars in the charts, which twigged my curiosity, though less for the music and totally for the food. Algerian food has been heavily influenced by Arab countries, Berbers, Turks and Europeans. This chicken is so light, yet hearty and warming.

Ingredients

Serves 6

Oil, for frying

1 bulb of garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced

2 onions, thinly sliced (reserving the skins for the beid hamine)

1 tablespoon salt

6 chicken thighs, bones still in, skin still on

3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2–3cm pieces

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

4 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons paprika

3 preserved lemons,quartered

200g whole green olives

700ml chicken stock or

water

4 tablespoons cornflour

4 tablespoons cold water

For the beid hamine

6 eggs

Skins of 2 onions (see above)

1 tablespoon coffee grounds

1 tablespoon salt

Cold water, to cover

For the rice

600g basmati rice

750ml cold water

1 large cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons salt

To serve

Fresh parsley

Fresh coriander

Method

Start with enough oil in a large pan to lightly cover the base. When the oil is hot, add the  garlic and fry till very golden brown. Now add your onions with the salt and cook till the onions are really soft.

Add your chicken thighs, potatoes and carrots, then add all your spices and mix through to make sure everything is combined.

Add the preserved lemons, green olives and stock. Mix and bring everything to the boil, then leave to simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on.

Now let’s get on to the beid hamine. Put the eggs in a pan with the onion skins, coffee grounds and salt. Pour in as much cold water as you need to cover the eggs and bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for 10 minutes till you have hard-boiled eggs.

Take the eggs out, crack the shells all over, put back into the hot liquid and leave to sit.

Take the rice and wash it till the water is completely clear. Drain and put into a pan with the cold water and stick of cinnamon. Bring the rice to the boil, stirring to stop it from sticking to the base, and boil till you can see every grain of rice and the water has evaporated. Pop the lid on and leave to steam on the lowest heat.

To finish the chicken off, take off the lid, mix the cornflour with the water and add to the pan. Mix and allow to thicken for 10 minutes.

Drain the eggs and peel them. Sprinkle the fresh parsley and coriander over the chicken and everything is ready to serve.

If you liked this read A recipe for Puff Puffs by Nadiya Hussain.