Gluten Free Chicken Chickpea Pilau

Serves 8

I think of this as a Purim dish as pilaf which originated in Persia, carrots also came from that area and this is a good way of using up left over cooked chicken or cooking cheaply for a crowd.

You could use fresh cut up chicken off the bone, but see the recipe for cooking as we don't want food poisoning!

Standard can of chickpeas or soak ½ cup dried ones overnight in hot water
2 cooked chicken legs
Small red pepper
Medium red onion
2 medium carrots
12 dried apricots
2 cups of basmati rice
2 tsp bought curry paste** or spice mix
1 litre (2 pints) chicken stock
2 smashed cloves garlic
A little cooking oil
Handful of chopped fresh coriander
Cup of peas (optional)

Dice the chicken and vegetables/apricots separately.

Using a large pan, fry off the onion for 2-3 minutes in the oil until translucent; add the chicken - if using fresh cook for 5 minutes so that it browns and starts to cook through; if using leftover cooked chicken just turn it with the onion.

Add the pepper, carrot, apricot and garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste (** ½ tsp dried chilli, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp coriander, 4 cardamom pods, 2 cloves). Cook together for another minute.

Add the rice and mix allowing the flavours to coat the rice. Pour on the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 25 minutes stirring occasionally.

Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly - helps to prevent "wind".

Add chickpeas and peas. Stir all this together so that they warm through. Garnish with some fresh coriander poppy seeds because it's PURIM.

Chicken and Chickpea Pilau