Chicken Salona | Emirati Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Dajaj Salona is a comforting Emirati chicken stew packed with seasonal vegetables and flavored with Bezar, a fragrant spice blend. This one-pot dish is rich, hearty, and full of traditional flavors. Perfect with rice or bread, it's a must-try for lovers of Middle Eastern cuisine!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 477kcal
Ingredients
For Chicken Stock
- 800 grams skinless whole chicken cut into 8 to 12 pieces
- water as required
- 1 green cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 loomi dried lime or black lime
- 1 piece galangal root optional
- 1 black stone flower shaiba leaves (optional)
- 1 garlic clove
For Dejaj Salona
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- ½ inch grated ginger
- 3 green chillies slit
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 potatoes peeled and cut into chunky roundels
- 2 to 3 carrot peeled and cut into chunky roundels
- 10 french beans
- 1 bell pepper any colour
- 2 to 3 large tomatoes cut into roundels
- 1 loomi dried lime or black lime
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1½ teaspoon bezar spice mix
- salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
Prepare Chicken Broth
- Take a deep pot, add water, chicken pieces, and the whole spices and bring it to a full boil.800 grams skinless whole chicken, water as required, 1 green cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 1 loomi, 1 piece galangal root, 1 black stone flower, 1 garlic clove
- Skim out and discard the foam and impurities using a spoon. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken pieces and cooked.
- Remove the chicken pieces using tongs and keep them aside. Strain the broth and discard the whole spices.
Prepare Dejaj Salona
- Heat the oil in a curry pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, and sauté until golden with a dash of salt.3 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 large onion
- Stir in ginger, garlic and green chillies and sauté for a minute.3 garlic cloves, ½ inch grated ginger, 3 green chillies
- Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, and all the chopped veggies along with a loomi. Season with salt as you go.1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 potatoes, 2 to 3 carrot, 10 french beans , 1 bell pepper, 2 to 3 large tomatoes, 1 loomi
- Cover and cook for 5 to 8 mins stirring occasionally until tomatoes are cooked down.
- Add the boiled chicken pieces and all the spice powders including bezar.¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1½ teaspoon bezar spice mix
- Pour the strained broth and add more water if required. Taste and adjust the salt.salt to taste
- Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked through. Stir in fresh coriander leaves.
Serve saloona
- Serve chicken salona warm with a sprinkle of freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve with white rice or Emirati bread, ragag.Fresh coriander leaves
Notes
Any excess salona can be made into my version of Thareed. Just tear and add any leftover khubz or chapatis and cook until soaked up. I was happy to just drink them as warm soup and eat those chicken pieces! An ideal dish for low carb-ers.
Nutrition
Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 27g
