POLAO WITH ENTIRE FOWLS (Simple)

Ingredients

• 470 grams (approx. ½ seer) Rice (Long-grain or basmati rice works well. 1 seer ≈ 940 g, so ½ seer ≈ 470 g.)
• 235 grams (approx. 1 powa) Ghee (1 powa ≈ ¼ seer ≈ 235 g. Divided across multiple steps.)
• 118 grams (approx. ½ powa) Onions (½ powa ≈ 118 g. A portion is fried; a few raw pieces are used in the chicken marinade.)
• 4 leaves (a few) Cassia leaves (tej patta / Indian bay leaves) (Use whole, dried cassia leaves (tej patta). Do not substitute with Mediterranean bay laurel if possible.)
• 6 whole cloves Cloves (Used whole (entire). Quantity not specified; 4–6 is a reasonable starting point.)
• 6 whole green cardamom pods Cardamoms (Used whole (entire). Quantity not specified; 4–6 pods is a reasonable starting point.)
• 6 grams (approx. ½ tola) Cinnamon (Used whole (entire). 1 tola ≈ 11.7 g, so ½ tola ≈ 6 g. Use a small cinnamon stick.)
• 23 grams (approx. 2 tolas) Salt (1 tola ≈ 11.7 g, so 2 tolas ≈ 23 g (about 4 teaspoons). Half is used in the chicken marinade, half is added to the cooking water.)
• 1 whole bird Whole chicken (fowl) (Cleaned and washed. A medium chicken (approx. 1.2–1.5 kg) is suitable. Score the skin so the marinade penetrates.)
• 940 millilitres (approx. 1 seer) Water (1 seer ≈ 940 ml. Plus a small quantity for soaking the rice and extra hot water kept on standby.)
• 6 grams (approx. ½ tola) Turmeric (ground) (1 tola ≈ 11.7 g, so ½ tola ≈ 6 g (about 1½ teaspoons). Used in the chicken marinade paste.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the rice in a large bowl and rinse it under cold running water, swirling with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear — this removes excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming gluey. Drain, then cover the rice with just enough cold water to keep it moist (a few tablespoons). Set aside while you prepare everything else.
2. 2Take a few pieces of the raw onion (approximately a quarter of your total onions) and crush or finely chop them. Combine with the turmeric and half the salt (about 11–12 g, roughly 2 teaspoons) to form a rough paste — you can use the back of a spoon or your fingers. Rub this paste all over the cleaned, washed whole chicken, pressing it into any crevices and under the skin if possible. Set the coated chicken aside on a plate while you fry the onions.
3. 3Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan (big enough to hold the whole chicken later) over medium heat. Add a portion of the ghee — roughly half of the total ghee (about 115–120 g). Once the ghee is hot and shimmering, add the remaining onions, cut into pieces. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden-brown and slightly crisp. This takes about 8–10 minutes. Once done, remove the fried onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a bowl. Leave the ghee in the pan.
4. 4In the same pot, with the remaining ghee still in it, add approximately half the total ghee again (about 115 g) if needed so you have roughly ½ powa worth of ghee in the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and let the ghee become very hot. Carefully place the turmeric-coated whole chicken into the pan. Sear it, turning occasionally with tongs, for 7–8 minutes, until the surface is golden and any liquid that runs out of the chicken has fully evaporated. The chicken will not be fully cooked through at this stage — that is expected. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate. Leave the ghee in the pan.
5. 5Reduce the heat to medium. Add any remaining ghee to the pan so that the total ghee across all steps equals approximately 1 powa (235 g). Once hot, add the cassia leaves, whole cloves, whole cardamom pods, and the cinnamon stick all at once. Stir gently. Within 30–60 seconds you will smell their fragrance rising — this tells you the spices are blooming correctly and releasing their oils. Do not let them burn; keep stirring.
6. 6Drain any excess water from the soaked rice, leaving it just moist rather than sitting in water. Pour the moist rice into the pan with the bloomed spices and ghee. Stir continuously over medium heat for about 5 minutes, making sure every grain is coated in ghee and the rice does not stick to the bottom. The grains will turn slightly translucent at the edges — that is a good sign.
7. 7Place the seared whole chicken back into the pan, on top of or nestled among the rice. Add the fried onions. Stir everything together gently for 2–3 minutes so the chicken and onions are well distributed. Then pour in the 940 ml of water and add the remaining half of the salt (about 11–12 g, roughly 2 teaspoons). Stir once to distribute the salt. Also keep a small pot of hot water nearby in case you need to top up later.
8. 8Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the contents of the pan to a full boil, watching carefully. As soon as you see vigorous bubbling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting your stove allows. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Allow everything to simmer gently for about 40–50 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed, the rice is cooked through and non-sticky, and the chicken is completely cooked (when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh, the juices should run clear). If the water evaporates before the chicken and rice are done, add a small splash of hot water from your standby pot and continue simmering.
9. 9When the water has dried up completely and the rice grains are separate, fluffy, and non-sticky, and the chicken is cooked through, remove the pot from the heat. Let the polao rest with the lid on for 5 minutes — this allows the steam to settle the rice. To serve, carefully lift the whole chicken out onto a serving platter and spoon the fragrant rice alongside or around it. Note: the whole spices (cassia leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon) are not meant to be eaten — guests should set them aside as they encounter them.