938. Syrian Chicken and Rice

This is a quick and straightforward meal hailing from the efficient homekeepers of Syria. Simply put, it is a bed of rice, topped with chicken, yogurt, and nuts. You can boil or roast your chicken as per preference, but I used the whole chicken boiled for the vichyssoise soup.
The rice is made more interesting by the addition of vermicelli and peas. I saved about a half cup of the chicken broth to stir into the yogurt for a more flavorsome sauce. I also added a small handful of vermicelli to the nuts while frying to yield a greater visual appeal.

Ingredients:

1 whole boiled chicken
2 cups rice, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup vermicelli noodles
1 Tbsp ghee
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup mixed fried nuts

Method:

Roughly shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones; set aside but keep warm.
Reserve a half cup of warm chicken broth to stir into the yogurt.
Cook the rice: Heat the ghee over medium-high heat, add the vermicelli and keep stirring until the color changes from a blond to a deep gold.
Add the rinsed and drained rice; gently stir with a wooden spoon using a folding action to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Add the salt, then the boiled water.
Once the rice begins to boil, immediately turn down heat to low, cover, and leave without stirring or uncovering for 10 minutes; carefully stir in the frozen or thawed peas, cover again and simmer for 10-15 minutes more until the rice is fluffy and the water is absorbed.
To serve, put a bed of the rice in a large serving dish.
Layer the roughly shredded chicken over the rice, topped with the broth-yogurt mix, and finally garnish with fried nuts and vermicelli (to make the vermicelli garnish, fry it until golden then add a splash of water to soften. Mix with the nuts).

صحة و عافية