Get a taste of Qatar with Saloona

In honour of the World Cup taking place in Qatar, we watched to share a Qatari dish! Saloona is a classic Arabian stew made with meat and/or vegetables. You can eat it with or without rice. In this recipe, we share how to make chicken saloona. 

Serves: 4-6 

Cook time: 1hr 15mins

Ingredients 

• 1 kg chicken (cut into pieces)

• Zucchini, cauliflower, carrots and potatoes chopped into small pieces

• Basmati rice, if desired

• 4 diced onions

• 2 -3 garlic cloves, crushed and ground

• Dried coriander, chopped

• 3 chopped tomatoes

• 1⁄4 cup tomato puree

• 3 chicken stock cubes

• 1  teaspoon black pepper or more to taste

• ½ teaspoon of turmeric

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 3 tablespoons ghee

• 6 cups water

Instructions:

1. Fill a cooking pot around halfway with water (approximately 6 cups) and boil.
2. Add chicken, salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Leave for half an hour. 
3. In another pan, add three tablespoons of ghee. Once melted, add two diced onions, crushed garlic, chopped tomatoes, chopped vegetables, and tomato puree. Mix together and then cook for 15 minutes. 
4. After 15 minutes, add the mixture to the cooking pot with the chicken. Add two chicken stock cubes and cook on low for 10 minutes. 
5. Add coriander and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. The chicken saloona is done! 

For the rice:

1. Add the desired amount of rice to a cooking pot and fill the pot with water, so it almost covers the rice. Soak for an hour.
2. In another pan, add two to three tablespoons of ghee. Once melted, add two remaining diced onions with salt. Stir until the onions are golden. 
3. Add the onions to the rice along with remembering chicken stock cube and stir the rice. Cook the rice on low for another 10 minutes.
4. Enjoy!