This is the typical dish that looks fabulous and labour intensive, while in fact it is very easy to make.
It is from Morocco and it has a wonderful sweet and sour taste – exotic and subtle.
Only one piece of advice: don’t overdo the rose water. As Nigella Lawson has said, it takes nothing to transform a dish which should evoke the magical and perfumed atmospheres of The Thousand and One Nights into something which tastes like bubble bath.
This wonderful recipe is taken, with some minimal variations, from Tamarind & Saffron, by the great cookery writer Claudia Roden.
For 2 people:
1 onion, finely chopped
extra-virgin olive oil
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
4/6 chicken drumsticks
approximately 0.10 gr of Zappoh! saffron threads
lemon juice
60 gr of almonds, with or without the skin, chopped coarsely
1 scant teaspoon of rose water
2 tablespoons of honey (orange blossom honey works really fine here)
First of all, crush the saffron threads, either in a pestle and mortar or wrapped in a small square of baking paper, using a glass or jam jar.
Transfer the saffron powder to a small coffee cup and pour hot (not boiling) water or stock over it; cover with a saucer or clingfilm and steep it for as long as you can, from 45 minutes minimum to up to 48 hours.
In a large frying pan, cook the onion with a little oil water until soft.
Add the grated ginger and the cinnamon, stir and then add the chicken drumsticks.
Pour in a glass of water, lemon juice (approximately half a lemon), salt and pepper, then cover and cook on a gentle heat for half an hour.
Transfer everything to a baking dish that can accommodate the chicken pieces in a single layer but not too roomy.
Mix the almonds with the rose water and the honey. Spread the paste over the chicken and bake in a 180° C preheated oven (static) for approximately 45 minutes.
Add the saffron and mix well so the chicken drumsticks are coated with sauce.
Serve hot.