Riz a djej

Step 1: Put 3 ⅓ lb whole chicken, 10 ½ cups water, 1 onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamom pods and 2 tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim off the foam, then simmer gently, partly covered, for 50–60 minutes until the thigh juices run clear and the thickest part reads 165°F.

Step 2: Lift out the chicken, strain the broth and keep 900 ml for the rice. When cool enough, pull the meat into large pieces, discarding skin and bones, and keep warm with a ladle of broth.

Step 3: Melt 1 oz butter in a heavy pan over a medium-high heat and brown 9 oz beef or lamb mince with 1 ½ tsp Lebanese seven-spice (baharat) and ½ tsp ground cinnamon for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until cooked through with no pink.

Step 4: Stir in 14 oz long-grain rice for 1 minute to coat, add the 900 ml hot broth and 1 tsp salt, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 18 minutes. Rest, covered, off the heat for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Fry 1 ⅜ oz blanched almonds, 1 oz pine nuts and 1 oz cashews in 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until golden; watch the pine nuts, they burn fast.

Step 6: Fluff the rice onto a large platter, arrange the chicken on top and scatter with the nuts. Serve with plain yoghurt.