Chicken Akhni To Serve 100 People – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith

15 kg chicken, cleaned, skin removed if preferred
7kg good quality basmati rice …
7 – 10kg potatoes, peeled and leave whole
4 kg onions, peeled and finely chopped
500g butter
24 cardamoms
24 stick cinnamons
24 all spice
24 cloves
10 dessertspoons leaf/roasted masala
10 teaspoons Packo masala
10 level dessertspoons turmeric/borrie
8 dessertspoons jeera/cumin
6 dessertspoons koljana/coriander
4 dessertspoons chilli powder (optional)
About 10cm ginger, peeled and grated/liquised
5 tablespoons crushed garlic
400g salt
2 bunched dhanya, chopped

Soak the rice in boiling water to cover.
Heat a 60l pot over medium heat.
Add the butter, cardamoms, stick cinnamon, cloves and allspice.
Once the butter is melted and the pot is warm add the chopped onions.
Braise until golden brown.
Add the chicken, cook for about 15 minutes until the chicken is a quarter cooked.
Add water as required. The sauce should be nice and thick.
Adjust the temperature if necessary.

Add the potatoes and the rest of the spices. Stir
Rinse the rice and add it to the chicken and potatoes.
Add about 10 litres of hot water on top of the rice as well as well as the salt.
Turn the heat up to high.
As soon as the rice comes up to the top (approximately 15 minutes or so) add the chopped dhanya and turn the heat to low.
Leave to steam, covered, until most of the water has evaporated, (approximately 30 minutes or so) then turn the heat off completely. The cooking process will continue and the rest of the water will evaporated. Leave to rest for another 40 – 60 minutes. Use a large spoon or fork to fluff up the rice before serving. Use a side plate or large dishing spoon and dish by inserting the spoon or plate down into the food to ensure you get all the flavours from the pot.Cook’s tip:
I used paddy basmati rice
I used dessertspoons and tablespoons to measure the ingredients.
You may use between 7 & 10kg potatoes depending if you like more potatoes in your food.
Try to use similar size potatoes.
Cut the bigger chicken pieces in half to ensure even cooking of the chicken.
Do not overcook the chicken as it will result in the chicken breaking off the bone and cooking away.
Use the same process for lamb or mutton akhni. You will need 18kg meat pieces. Adjust the cooking time to the cut of meat you using. Lamb cooks quicker than mutton.

Serve with atchar, dhai or tomato and onion salad.

Recipe for dhai / yoghurt sauce
© Cape Malay Cooking