Musakhan
Often referred to as the national dish of Palestine, Musakhan is a perfect representation of the simplicity and richness found in Palestinian culture.
Comprised of roasted chicken and caramelized onions, doused in tangy suman and seven spices - if there is ever a recipe for you to try on my page please let it be this one.
Ingredients:
Chicken thighs & legs
Olive Oil (a lot)
Red Onion (2-3)
Sumac*
Bokharat (seven spices)*
Salt & Pepper*
Cilantro
Pine Nuts
Taboon Bread (thick and fluffy flat bread)
**measure with your heart
Bonus Recipe - Musakhan Salad:
leftover Musakhan (chicken, onions, and bread)
Kale (1 bunch)
Lemon (juice of 1)
Cilantro (1 bunch)
Garlic (1 clove)
Olive Oil*
Rice Vinegar*
Sumac*
Salt & Pepper*
Pine Nuts
Directions:
Drizzle olive oil on chicken, and season generously with sumac, seven spices, salt and pepper. Allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes.
Cut red onions into half moon or strip slices. Season onions with sumac, seven spices, salt and pepper.
Put onions into a pot and cover with enough olive oil so that its almost submerged. Bring pot to a low boil, stirring the onions periodically. Allow onions to cook down or caramelize, approximately 30-40 minutes for 3 onions.
Place marinated chicken on a baking sheet. Bake at 400F for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked internally 165F.
Dunk your flatbread into the onion oil and then lay out flat on a separate baking sheet. Top the bread with the caramelized onions and pieces of chicken thighs and legs. Put back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
While this is in the oven, start roasting your pine nuts. You can do this by adding some oil in a pan and lightly pan frying your nuts. Stir constantly and remove from heat once you start to see some color or smell fragrance.
Once chicken and onions are done, top with roasted pine nuts and chopped cilantro.
Musakhan Salad:
To make the dressing, start by adding cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and rice vinegar into a food processer. Blend well and season with sumac, salt, and pepper to taste.
Chop up kale and dress with the cilantro vinaigrette. Massage the dressing into kale for 1 minute.
The chicken, onions and bread for musakhan reheats well, so you can either reheat and chop these up before adding into your kale or add in cold.
Pan fry some pine nuts until fragrant, and add as garnish to your musakhan salad.