Fega’ata Recipe: Bottom of the Pot Chicken and Rice, by Noor Murad

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Fega’ata refers to the very bottom of something, with ga’a meaning ‘bottom’ and fe meaning ‘in’. Fishermen will often talk about ga’aet el bahar, meaning bottom of the sea, and in this uniquely Bahraini recipe it means ‘bottom of the pot’, where all the good stuff happens. The meat (or fish or vegetables) is left to steam and cook gently without any liquid, and the rice is piled on top. As with many of our dishes, it is inverted so that bottom is top and top is bottom. Don’t skimp on the onions as their moisture is what helps move things along. The chicken skin doesn’t get crispy here; it acts as a shield, keeping the meat nice and tender.

Recipe extracted from Lugma: Abundant Dishes & Stories from My Middle East by Noor Murad (Quadrille, £28). Photography by Matt Russell (food) and Matt Wardle (location).

Ingredients for Fega'ata

½ tsp loosely packed saffron threads
2 tsp rose water
2 tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar
2 tsp coriander seeds, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar
1 tsp mild curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 black limes: 1 finely ground to yield 1 tsp; the other broken in half, pips removed
1kg chicken thighs, bone in, skin on (about 8 thighs), patted dry
100g yellow split peas, soaked in boiling water for at least 1 hour
3 onions, halved, and each half cut into 4 wedges
400g floury potatoes like Maris Piper (2–3), peeled and cut into 5cm chunks
1 large plum tomato, cut into 8 pieces
3 green chillies, left whole
35g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
5 garlic cloves, finely grated
4 tbsp melted ghee
4 cloves
3 fresh bay leaves
6 cardamom pods
375g basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear, then soaked for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours, then drained
2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Fega'ata

Add the saffron, rosewater and 1½ tablespoons of hot water to a small bowl and set aside. Mix together all the ground spices and ground black lime in a small bowl. Marinate the chicken thighs by adding them to a medium bowl with half the spice mixture, 1½ teaspoons salt and a generous grind of pepper. Mix well and set aside while you continue with the rest.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Drain the split peas, add them to the boiling water and cook for 15 minutes, until two-thirds cooked. Drain and add to a large bowl, with the onions, potatoes, tomato, green chillies, ginger, garlic, the halved
black lime, remaining spice mixture, 2 tablespoons of the ghee, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper, and mix together with your hands.
Half-fill a large (around 28cm/11¼in), deep-sided, non-stick saucepan with water. Bring to the boil with 2½ teaspoons of salt, then add the cloves, bay leaves, cardamom and rice. Boil for just 4 minutes, then drain through a large sieve (strainer) set over the sink. Rinse and dry out the pan.
To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon of ghee around the base of the clean pan. Spread with half the potato mixture, then top with all the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Top evenly with the remaining potato mixture, then spoon over half the saffron water. Now top with the rice and aromatics, without compressing, and spread it carefully so as not to break apart the grains. Pour over the remaining saffron water and the final tablespoon of ghee. Top with a clean tea towel, followed by the lid, bringing the ends of the towel up and over the lid and securing them with a rubber band or by tying them together.
Place over a medium-high heat for exactly 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. Then, turn down the heat to low and leave to cook, undisturbed, for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Remove the lid and towel and let settle for 10 minutes. Place your largest platter over the pan and, in one swift movement, invert the whole thing onto the platter. Lift off the pan and shake the platter to distribute everything nicely. Don’t worry if a few bits stick to the base of the saucepan, spoon these onto the rice. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve.