Tabeet - persian cholent

Serves 8

This is the "Cholent" of the Persian tradition which was served on Shabbat, traditionally cooked overnight on top of a wood fired stove. I use a very low oven or a large slow cooker. I often include dried soaked apricots in the stuffing an ex-colleague said was a must in her family.

The rice is partially pre-cooked and then rinsed to remove excess starch avoiding it becoming too sticky in the cooking process. A quarter of the cooked rice is used for stuffing the chicken - which makes it ideal for celiacs.
The remaining rice surrounds the bird, the best bit being the crust that forms at the base of the cooking dish when cooked in the oven but not in a slow cooker where you should add extra water, which is prized.

2-2.5kg (4-5lb) chicken
1 tsp turmeric
500g (1 lb) carrots
500g (1 lb) turnips
450g (1lb) (2 cups) basmati or long grain rice
1 litre (35fl oz) (4 cups) cold water

Additions to Stuffing
¼ tsp each of fresh:
Cinnamon
Cloves
Turmeric
Black Pepper
Salt
2 Cardamoms
1 clove garlic
100g (4oz) chicken liver (optional)
100g (4oz) dried apricots
120ml (4fl oz) water

To Season the Reserved Rice
¼ tsp each of:
Freshly ground black pepper
Cinnamon,
Cloves
Salt
4 tablespoons tomato paste or tamarind paste
375ml (14 fl oz) boiling water

Place the rice in a large pan with the water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat and drain. Rinse twice and drain thoroughly.

Place the chicken in a bowl of boiling water, leave for 5 minutes to remove the excess fat. Drain and pat dry.

Take one quarter of the rice and place in a bowl. If using fresh spices grind together in a pestle and mortar with the garlic (you can use ground spices if suitable ones are available). Add to the rice. Chop the apricots into small pieces and the liver if using and add these to the rice mixture with the water. Mix well and then place inside the chicken cavity. Using tooth picks or a couple of small skewers fasten a piece of parchment over this to keep the stuffing inside.

Prick the chicken with a skewer. Rub the chicken with turmeric to colour and flavour it. Cut the vegetables into large chunks and mix with the reserved rice and spices. Put these into the slow cooker or a large casserole dish. Mix the tomato paste with the water and pour over the rice, push slightly to the side so the chicken sits one third in the rice. Cover and cook on low overnight in the slow cooker or else in a slow oven at 120ºC, 100ºC Fan, 250ºF, Gas Mark 1.

If not cooking as an overnight dish then I suggest you set the slow cooker on Auto and cook for at least 4 hours until the juice run clean when you insert a skewer into the chicken or in a moderate oven for 3 hours at 175ºC, 160ºC Fan, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4

Gluten Free Tabeet Persian Cholent