1172. Layered Saffron Chicken and Rice

I tend to avoid recipes with a ton of ingredients, but this one looked so good I thought I would give it a go. Be aware that there are multiple steps and multiple pots and pans to wash later.
While it was good, it was not phenomenal. All I would keep thinking is how much the process could be streamlined and simplified. Proceed only if you happen to be in a good mood and have a couple hours to spare. Zarshk are sour dried berries.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
1 chicken, cut into 8
1 large onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic
3 pods cardamom
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt and pepper
4-6 cups water

For the yogurt:
1 cup broth (from boiling the chicken)
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup saffron water
salt and pepper

For the rice:
3 cups rice (basmati)
4 cups chopped dill
1 tsp grated garlic
4 Tbsp oil

For the Zarshk:
1/2 cup zarshk
1 Tbsp ghee
2 Tbsp sugar
salt
1/4 cup saffron water

Plus:
2 potatoes, sliced and fried
2 aubergines, sliced and fried.




Method:

For the chicken, put all the chicken ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool. Strain the broth, save the water and discard the solids.
Mix all the yogurt ingredients and set aside.
For the rice, rinse the rice until the water runs clear. soak it in water for an hour, then boil like pasta in salted water for 6-7 minutes. Drain, and discard the water. In the same pot, saute the dill and garlic in the oil, then sir in the rice to incorporate. Set aside.
In a large pot, add some oil to cover the base, layer a third of the rice, followed by half each of the potato, aubergine, chicken (skin-side down), and yogurt (make sure to lightly salt the layers as you go). Top with another third of the rice and another round of the vegetables, chicken, and yogurt, finishing with a final layer of rice.
Add 2 cups of the reserved broth, cover, place over medium-high heat for 15 minutes then reduce heat to medium-low and leave for 1 and a half hours.
Meanwhile, saute the zarshk, sugar, and salt in the ghee, and add the saffron water.
When the chicken is done, carefully overturn onto a large serving dish and sprinkle the zarshk on top.

صحة و عافية