Keep the cold at bay with a moreish meal

The recipe is straight off the pages of the new Hirsch’s cookbook which is set to launch this month.

Founder of Hirsch’s Homestore, Margaret Hirsch explained the reason for the creation of the cookbook, “We realised that demonstrators would come into our stores and often would not know how to handle the appliances they were given to use and didn’t know what to prepare to showcase the product.”

After years in the industry, she and her good friend, Vanessa de Beer, decided to put together a cookbook for demonstrators and which would also appeal to the public.

“Many days, weeks and months were spent formulating the recipes and putting them together,” Hirsch explained. “They had to be easy and flop proof. We had to produce food that is tasty, looks good and is easy to prepare. The end result is a book that is packed full of the best recipes to use for a variety of products.”

Chicken Breyani (Serves 20)

2kg Chicken cut into medium-sized portions

30ml Chilli masala

30ml Breyani masala

500ml Maas (you can substitute with plain yoghurt)

125ml (1/2 cup) Lentils

750ml (3 cups) rice

2 onions, finely chopped

4 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters

50ml Cooking oil

15ml Elaichi (cardamom) seeds split open

30ml Breyani mix

30ml Cooking oil

2 Onions finely chopped

4 Chillies chopped

15ml Fresh mint chopped

15ml Fresh thyme

5ml Turmeric

5ml Chilli powder

10ml Curry powder

4 Garlic cloves crushed

4cm Ginger root finely chopped

Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Place chicken portions in glass bowl, add chilli masala, breyani masala and 125ml maas or yoghurt. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Pre-soak lentils and rice in 500ml boiling water, when cooled leave in fridge overnight.

3. Braise two onions and the potatoes in 50ml heated oil until golden brown and potatoes are soft – set aside.

4. Heat up breyani seeds in a heavy-based frying pan with no oil. Remove from heat and grind elaichi seeds and breyani seeds together.

5. Sauté garlic and ginger, chillies, mint and thyme.

6. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and curry powder. Add ground breyani and elaichi seeds. Stir well while sautéing the mixture.

7. Add a few chicken portions at a time until nicely browned.

8. Braise for about 10 minutes.

9. Place mixture into a deep casserole dish with pre-soaked lentils and rice. Mix well.

10. Bake in oven at 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas mark 4 for an hour. Take

out and add oil then cook for a further hour. During the last 30 minutes add potatoes and onions from step 3.

11. When cooked, garnish with fresh coriander on top and serve immediately.

12. Serve with Maas/Yoghurt Salad – mix the remainder of the maas or yoghurt with chopped chillies, mint and fresh

coriander. Place in fridge and serve cold alongside the breyani.