Name: Roast Chicken or Turkey Stuffed with Rice (Dijaaj aw ‘Ali Sheesh Mahshi)
Yield: Makes 6 to 10 servings
Cuisine: Iraqi
Ingredients: ½ cup (3 oz/85 g) currants or raisins; ½ cup (125 ml) yogurt, for coating the bird; 1 cup (4 oz/115 g) diced potatoes browned in 1 tablespoon oil; 1 teaspoon prepared noomi Basra; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; ½ cup (3 oz/85 g) each of frozen or canned peas, diced carrots, and chopped mushrooms; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; 1 large chicken (about 5 lb/2.25 kg) or a small turkey; 1 teaspoon ground cardamom; ½ teaspoon chili pepper, or to taste; 1 tablespoon salt; ½ teaspoon za’tar or thyme; 2 cups (16 oz/450 g) rice, cooked as directed in Plain White Rice; 2 cloves garlic, grated; ½ teaspoon turmeric; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ cup (2 oz/60 g) slivered/flaked almonds, toasted; 1 tablespoon baharat; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon ginger; 1 onion, coarsely chopped; 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon oil; ½ cup (125 ml) vinegar

Preparation info

Makes
6 to 10
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Delights from the Garden of Eden

By Nawal Nasrallah

Published 2019

About

The tenderizing effects of brine were recognized by cooks in the past. In the tenth-century Baghdadi cookbook, there is a meat recipe that requires the cut meat to be kept in brine from the time of morning prayer to around brunch time, some five hours. The meat was then washed very well and cooked (al-Warraq). That was what our Christian neighbor used to do to her Christmas turkey before roasting it in the oven. However, this might not be necessary for roasting the birds available in today’