THE ACCIDENTAL INDIAN, PART II

In response to the request for a stove top recipe for the Chicken Pilaf. My guess: remove the chicken pieces, add the two cups of rice, fry for a while, and then add two cups of water (for which I would ordinarily use three cups of water, but since there is already a cup of water added at the simmer stage making just over a cup of gravy, you'd need less). Cover and cook on slow heat till the rice is done, and then bring back the chicken... This one's even simpler - it leaves the chicken in there. Based on other esteemed sources, though, read: Google, most purists tend to go for this option: Do the chicken first in the same way. Spoon a bit of the oil off into a second pot. Add two cups of rice and salt to taste, and stir till the rice is nicely coated. Add one cup of the gravy from the chicken mixture and two cups of water. Cover and cook on low heat till the rice is done (add a bit more water if it starts to dry out). Once done, dish out the rice, and put the rest of the chicken n gravy on top. Here's one Pakistani variation that goes in that direction. It adds yoghurt and mint leaves too, and sounds pretty good, despite the work. Of course, you could just buy a rice cooker. :) Cheers! Art