Djaj Mqualli

Name: Djaj Mqualli
Prep time: 85 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1.5 kg whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (skin on, or use 8 bone-in thighs and drumsticks); 2 pinch saffron threads; 2 tbsp warm water (for steeping the saffron); 4 cloves garlic (grated or crushed to a paste); 1.5 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp salt (go easy, the olives and lemon add salt); 60 ml olive oil; 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil; 0.5 bunch fresh coriander (finely chopped); 0.5 bunch flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped); 400 g onions (about 2 large, coarsely grated); 250 ml water; 1 whole preserved lemon (or 2 small ones); 150 g green or violet olives (unpitted Moroccan olives are traditional)

Serves 4 · 165 min · Moroccan

Ingredients

1.5 kg whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 pinches saffron threads
2 tbsp warm water
4 cloves garlic
1½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
60 ml olive oil
2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
1 small bunch fresh coriander
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
400 g onions
250 ml water
1 preserved lemon
150 g green or violet olives

Method

01
Steep the saffron Crumble the saffron threads into two tablespoons of warm water and leave them to steep until the water turns deep orange.
02
Mix the marinade In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, ground ginger, black pepper, turmeric, salt, the saffron water, the olive oil, the vegetable oil, and half of the chopped coriander and parsley.
03
Coat the chicken Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and rub the marinade all over them, working it under the skin where you can.
04
Marinate the chicken Cover the bowl and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for one hour.
05
Grate the onions While the chicken marinates, coarsely grate the onions on the large holes of a box grater, keeping all the juice.
06
Start the braise Put the chicken and all its marinade into a heavy pot or a tagine, add the grated onions, and cook over medium heat, turning the pieces now and then, until the onions soften and the chicken takes on colour.
07
Simmer covered Pour in the water, cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer gently, turning the chicken every fifteen minutes, until it is tender.
08
Blanch the olives Meanwhile, put the olives in a small pan of water, bring it to a boil, simmer for five minutes, then drain them.
09
Prepare the preserved lemon Rinse the preserved lemon, scoop out and discard most of the pulp, and cut the peel into thin strips or quarters.
10
Add lemon and olives Scatter the preserved lemon and the olives over the chicken, add the remaining coriander and parsley, and simmer uncovered.
11
Reduce the sauce Lift the chicken onto a warm plate, then boil the sauce uncovered, stirring often, until it is thick and clings to a spoon.
12
Serve Return the chicken to the sauce, arrange the lemon and olives on top, taste for salt, and serve hot with khobz bread for scooping.

Method

Steep the saffron

Crumble the saffron threads into two tablespoons of warm water and leave them to steep until the water turns deep orange.

Steep the saffron · 10 min

Mix the marinade

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, ground ginger, black pepper, turmeric, salt, the saffron water, the olive oil, the vegetable oil, and half of the chopped coriander and parsley.

Traditional cooks often add a spoonful of smen, Moroccan aged butter, here for depth; leave it out if you need the dish dairy-free.

Coat the chicken

Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and rub the marinade all over them, working it under the skin where you can.

Marinate the chicken

Cover the bowl and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for one hour.

Marinate the chicken · 60 min

Grate the onions

While the chicken marinates, coarsely grate the onions on the large holes of a box grater, keeping all the juice.

Grating rather than slicing is what lets the onions dissolve into a smooth, thick sauce.

Start the braise

Put the chicken and all its marinade into a heavy pot or a tagine, add the grated onions, and cook over medium heat, turning the pieces now and then, until the onions soften and the chicken takes on colour.

If using a clay tagine, keep the heat low to medium and use a heat diffuser so it does not crack.

Start the braise · 10 min

Simmer covered

Pour in the water, cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer gently, turning the chicken every fifteen minutes, until it is tender.

Check the liquid as it cooks; if the onions start to catch on the bottom, add a few spoonfuls of water.

Simmer covered · 45 min

Blanch the olives

Meanwhile, put the olives in a small pan of water, bring it to a boil, simmer for five minutes, then drain them.

This removes excess brine and bitterness so the sauce does not become too salty.

Blanch the olives · 5 min

Prepare the preserved lemon

Rinse the preserved lemon, scoop out and discard most of the pulp, and cut the peel into thin strips or quarters.

Taste a strip of peel first; if it is very salty, soak the strips in cold water for ten minutes.

Add lemon and olives

Scatter the preserved lemon and the olives over the chicken, add the remaining coriander and parsley, and simmer uncovered.

Add lemon and olives · 15 min

Reduce the sauce

Lift the chicken onto a warm plate, then boil the sauce uncovered, stirring often, until it is thick and clings to a spoon.

The sauce should be rich and oily, not watery; this reduction is what makes it mqualli.

Reduce the sauce · 10 min

Serve

Return the chicken to the sauce, arrange the lemon and olives on top, taste for salt, and serve hot with khobz bread for scooping.

Djaj Mqualli

Ingredients

Method

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