Saleeg

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1whole chicken, jointed
• 2onions
• 1cinnamon stick
• 6cardamom pods
• 4cloves
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tbspblack peppercorns
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 litreswater

Rice

• 500 gEgyptian or short-grain rice
• the strained chicken broth
• 500 mlwhole milk
• 100 gbutter or ghee
• 1 tspsalt

To finish

• 50 gbutter
• 1 tspmastic, ground with sugar, optional

To serve

• the chicken, browned
• shatta or hot sauce
• a green salad

Directions

1. Simmer the chicken with the onions, whole spices and salt for about an hour, skimming carefully. Skim it thoroughly, because the broth carries the whole dish and every fault shows in the finished rice. Lift the chicken out and strain the broth. Now brown the chicken pieces, either under a hot grill or in a pan with butter. Keep the browned chicken warm while the rice cooks.
2. Use Egyptian or another short-grain rice, never basmati. Basmati is bred to stay separate and it will never give a saleeg. Wash the rice only briefly, or not at all. Do not wash the starch away. Melt the butter in a heavy pot and add the rice, turning it for a minute.
3. Pour in the strained broth to about three times the volume of the rice. Use far more liquid than for an ordinary rice, because the grains are meant to absorb it all and break down.
4. Bring it to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring often. Stir it regularly, which is the opposite of every other rice instruction. Add the milk gradually rather than all at once, which lets the rice absorb it slowly and keeps the texture even.
5. Keep the heat low once the milk is in, because it catches and scorches easily. Scrape the base of the pot as you stir, because milk catches. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour in total, until the grains have swollen and broken down completely. Cook it far past the point where the rice is merely tender. It should be soft, sticky and porridge-like, with no bite left at all.
6. Add more hot broth or milk if it becomes too thick before it is ready. The finished texture should fall slowly from a spoon rather than holding its shape. Stir in the ground mastic at the end if using, which is traditional in the Hejaz. Grind mastic with a little sugar rather than alone, because it gums up against a bare pestle.
7. Season with salt and taste it before serving. Spread the saleeg on a large platter and make a hollow in the centre. Melt the remaining butter and pour it into the hollow so it pools on the surface. Lay the browned chicken over the rice. Serve with shatta, a hot sauce, and a sharp green salad to cut the richness.

Technique

• It is sometimes made with lamb rather than chicken.
• Mastic gives a distinctive resinous note and is used across Hejazi cooking.
• It thickens enormously as it stands and is loosened with hot broth.

Substitutions

• Any short-grain rice, including risotto rice.
• Lamb shoulder in place of chicken.

Variations

• Made with lamb.
• With more milk, as a richer version.
• Topped with fried onions and nuts.

History

Taif and Hejaz dish of rice cooked in milky broth to a soft risotto texture and topped with chicken.

Frequently asked questions

What is Saleeg?

Saleeg is a main from Saudi Arabia: hejazi milky rice porridge served under broth-roasted chicken. Taif and Hejaz dish of rice cooked in milky broth to a soft risotto texture and topped with chicken.

How long does Saleeg take to make?

Saleeg takes 20 min of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Saleeg?

Yes, within limits. Any short-grain rice, including risotto rice. Lamb shoulder in place of chicken.

What is the most important thing to get right in Saleeg?

Simmer the chicken with the onions, whole spices and salt for about an hour, skimming carefully. Skim it thoroughly, because the broth carries the whole dish and every fault shows in the finished rice. Lift the chicken out and strain the broth. Now brown the chicken pieces, either under a hot grill or in a pan with butter. Keep the browned chicken warm while the rice cooks.