ORIENT Magazine - Asian Recipe - Sweet and Sour Cherry Rice

Sweet and Sour Cherry photo

Sweet and Sour Cherry Rice with Chicken Kabobs

ASIAN RECIPES [Pork Satay] [Mi Thap Cam] [Stuffed Artichoke w Seafood] [Calamondin Cake] [Sushi Rice] [Steamed Fish & Banana Custard] [Braised Sea Cucumbers] [Cantonese Fried Rice] [Glutinous Rice Cake] [Sweet and Sour Cherry Rice]

This recipe was shared by Mahmood, owner and chef of Ali Baba Restaurant in Longwood, Florida.
1. Prepare Rice

1 lb. rice (preferably Basmati)
1 and 1/2 ounce salt

Wash the rice two to three times until the water runs clear. Be careful not to break the grains. Soak the rice in water. In the meantime, fill casserole halfway with water and boil. Add rice and salt (to bring down boiling temperature of water) and let boil on high heat until rice is "lengthened," but only half-cooked. Drain hot water off rice and pour water to "cool" the rice. This also washes away the starch and the salt. It will separate the grains and make the rice "light." Cover 1/4 bottom of your pot with 1/2 portion water and 1/2 portion melted butter. Add rice and boil on high heat until steaming. Cover pot tightly, reduce to lowest heat setting and continue cooking for 30 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
2. Prepare Sweet and Sour Cherry

1 jar of Sour Cherry (24 oz.)
1/2 cup of sugar

Pour juice off the jar of cherries into a pot and boil with sugar for 15 minutes. Add the cherries and boil for an additional 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set cherries aside.
3. Prepare Saffron Water
Add about 3 tbsps. of hot water to a pinch of ground saffron (or a few crushed saffron threads), stir and set aside.
4. Layer Rice and Cherries
In a serving dish, spread a layer of rice on the bottom, followed by a layer of sweet and sour cherries; then 2-3 more layers of rice and cherries. Sprinkle top with 3 tbsps. of saffron water. It is now ready to be served with chicken kabobs.
How To Prepare Chicken Kabob (Mahmood Style)

1 lb. chicken breasts, skinned
Juice of 4 medium-sized lemons
1 and 1/2 tsps. salt
1/3 cup of oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsps. saffron water (see above)

Clean and cut chicken into serving sizes, marinate in above ingredients for 2 to 24 hours. Put chicken on skewers and grill. Serve with Sweet and Sour Cherry Rice. Serves 4.
To learn more about rice, read the ORIENT article on this versatile grain.

Next Issue, Back Issues, Subscribe Now, ORIENTchat,
Submit Material, Asian Cuisine, Business Section, Advertising,
About ORIENT, Giveaways, Contact Us, Asian Links