Bowl of Chicken with Yogurt & Turmeric
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Chicken with Yogurt & Turmeric


Syria   -   Mleheyya
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 6 w/bulgur
***
2 hrs
Yes		 A very important recipe to the Druze people in the Hauran region of Syria. It is often served at parties, carried in accompanied by special songs - like the Scots piping in the haggis. See Serving.




1
1
1
2
1/2
1/2
1/2
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2
2
1
1/2
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ar
ar
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#
#
#
T
c
T
t
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c
c

T
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Chicken Meat (1)
Onions
Potatoes(2)
Olive Oil
Water
Salt
Pepper
-- Sauce
Yogurt
Broth (3)
Egg
Turmeric
-- Serve With
Bulgur Wheat (4)
  -or- Steamed Rice
----------------
Prep   -   (30 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN into about 1 inch chunks.
  2. Quarter ONION lengthwise and slice thin crosswise.
  3. Peel POTATOES and cut into about 3/4 inch dice.
  4. Measure out all items for the Sauce. You can whip it and cook it while the chicken simmers.
Run   -   (1-1/4 hrs)
  1. In a spacious sauté pan (3-1/2 quart is good), heat Oil and fry Onions, stirring until lightly golden. A sprinkle of salt will help them fry evenly.
  2. Stir in Potatoes and Water. Bring to a boil, then stir in the Chicken. Season with Salt and Pepper. Bring back to a boil, cover and turn to a simmer. Stir a couple of times until the chicken is tender (about 30 minutes).
  3. Meanwhile - Make Sauce; Beat together very well Broth, Yogurt and Egg. The pattern recipe suggests using a Blender, but I find a wire whip and a strong arm work fine.
  4. Pour the Sauce into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Set on moderate heat and stir continuously in a single direction (important to prevent curdling) until it comes to a boil - see Comments. Select a heat level that will bring it to a boil in a little less than 1/2 hour of stirring. I use an instant read thermometer to check the progress. When up to a boil, stir in Turmeric for another minute.
  5. When Chicken is done, stir in the Sauce and simmer another 5 minutes.
  6. Serve hot, traditionally over a bed of Bulgur Wheat - see Serving. This recipe reheats well.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is Thigh and Leg meat without bones, fat or skin.

  2. Potatoes:

      White Rose or similar work well in recipes of this sort. Avoid Klondike Gold type potatoes - they quickly turn to mush with long cooking or reheating. For details see our Potatoes page.

  3. Chicken Broth:

      When preparing for a dish of this type, I buy chicken a day ahead as whole thighs or whole leg quarters. I remove skin, bones and fat, putting all that in a pot with water to cover well. I simmer for about 4 hours, then strain out and discard the solids. The fat is easily removed using a gravy separator. This becomes the broth for the recipe. It is strong enough to be extended a bit with water if need be. For more on making and storing Broth, see our page Soup Stock / Broth - General Method.

  4. Bulgur:

      Bulgur is fully cooked, and #1 needs only a hot water soak, but for dishes of this sort I like #3 which needs a bit more. Place it in a saucepan pour boiling water over to (3 cups Water per cup of Bulgur). Let sit for 30 minutes or so, then cook the same as you would steamed rice.

  5. Serving

      Once this dish is brought in with singing, dancing and ceremony, a whole lot of expensive hot Ghee is poured over it to show the generosity of the host. Most of us in the West would skip that excess - but suit yourself. I like this recipe with Steamed Rice, but that would be quite expensive in Syria, so they are accustomed to Bulgur Wheat.

  6. Comments:

      Why stir in a single direction? I don't know, but I've seen a number of ethnic recipes from different regions that call for that, so I do it. You can take breaks from stirring, but only for a few seconds.
  7. 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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