Pilaf with Chicken Stuffed with Nut Filling, 'Levengi Pilaf'
Main Dishes | Azerbaijani cuisine
⏳ Time
2 hours
🥕 Ingredients
12
🍽️ Servings
6
Description
In Azerbaijan, this pilaf is served on large platters (called 'bulud'). The chicken is cut into portions. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients
- Poultry - 1 piece
- Walnuts - 10.6 oz
- Onion - 2 heads
- Salt - 2 teaspoons
- Ground Black Pepper - ½ teaspoon
- Basmati rice - 2 cups
- Water - 2 qt
- Saffron - 4 pieces
- Butter - 3.5 oz
- Vegetable Oil - ½ cup
- Turmeric - 2 teaspoons
- Tursu Sauce - 3 tablespoons
Step by Step guide
Step 1
For the filling (levengi), pass the walnuts through a meat grinder or chop them in a blender.
Step 2
Do the same with the onion and squeeze it to remove excess moisture.
Step 3
Mix the ground walnuts, onion, and tursu, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Tursu is a sauce made from sour-sweet fruits such as cherry plums, plums, apples, pomegranates, etc. The fruits, either separately or together (cherry plums and plums, or cherry plums and apples), are simmered over low heat with a little water, a bit of salt is added, and a thick mass is obtained.
Step 4
Wash, gut, and clean the chicken.
Step 5
Rub the chicken all over with a small amount of tursu (this will give the chicken a nice color and a delicious crust).
Step 6
Season with salt and pepper and stuff it with the levengi. If you have leftover levengi, you can freeze it. Personally, I always prepare it with at least one kilogram of walnuts, divide it into portions, and I always have filling ready.
Step 7
You can sew up the chicken's belly or simply secure it with a toothpick.
Step 8
Let the chicken sit for a bit (about 20 minutes) and bake for 1 to 1.5 hours at a temperature of 180-374°F. Check periodically for doneness.
Step 9
Prepare the pilaf using 2 cups of basmati rice for 3-4 people. Boil the water and add salt.
Step 10
First, clean and wash the rice.
Step 11
Separately, brew a little saffron (soak 3-4 saffron threads in warm water).
Step 12
Bring the rice to a boil; it should be cooked to 60%-70%, then drain it. Prepare a large pot.
Step 13
Pour a little oil on the bottom of the pot (I usually use olive oil, but you can also use butter or ghee).
Step 14
Next, layer the rice and sprinkle with turmeric. In the end, there should be several layers of rice and turmeric.
Step 15
Finally, pour the saffron infusion over the rice and place pieces of butter in 5-6 spots.
Step 16
Tightly cover the pot with a lid wrapped in a kitchen towel and let it simmer on very low heat for 40-50 minutes.
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