Chicken machboos

Toast green cardamom, cinnamon chips, dried lime, black pepper, cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a frying pan for three to four minutes, without browning, until fragrant.

Grind the toasted spices in a mortar and pestle, squeezing the cardamom seeds out of the pods.

Combine the ground spices with the chili powder, ground cloves, nutmeg and saffron threads to make the baharat mix.

Chop the cilantro, tomatoes, jalapeno and onion; grate the ginger and garlic; soak a pinch of saffron in rose water.

Poke holes in the dried limes.

Separate the chicken drumsticks from the thighs and remove the skin.

Melt the ghee in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion and cook until slightly browned.

Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and half the cilantro; cook a few minutes.

Add the baharat, the tomatoes, the tomato paste, the dried limes, the cardamom pods, turmeric, cinnamon, chili powder, bay leaf and pepper.

Add the chicken, coat it, salt, and add water to cover.

Bring to a boil, cover, turn down to medium heat and cook 10 minutes until the chicken is done; remove the chicken.

Adjust the liquid in the pot to about four cups.

Drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the pot with the rest of the cilantro; stir.

Cover, turn the heat to low and cook 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is done (about 14 minutes here).

Brown the cooked chicken in a skillet with a little oil until crispy outside.

Stir the saffron and rose water into the cooked rice.

Set the chicken on top of the rice and let it sit until serving; plate.