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Recipemain dish

Rfissa Moroccan Chicken with Lentils

this dish is made on special occasions in morocco. it is served in one communal dish & everyone eats out of it with their right hand (no utensils). it is time consuming to make but it is much easier if you have a second pair of hands to help. (smen is a special kind of rancid butter mixed with spices that is used to flavor tagines & other dishes in morocco. )

complex18 ingredients18 preparation steps
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Ingredients

  • whole chickens
  • onion
  • olive oil
  • ginger
  • ras el hanout spice mix
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • unbleached flour
  • sugar
  • water
  • oil
  • onions
  • turmeric
  • saffron
  • parsley
  • canola oil
  • smen
  • fenugreek seeds

Preparation

  1. 1wash the chicken & marinate it in a mixture of grated onion , olive oil , ginger , ras el hanout , salt , & pepper for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator
  2. 2i find it helpful to make 2 smaller batches instead of 1 large one
  3. 3one to make before cooking the chicken & the other to make while the chicken is cooking
  4. 4m'semmen: in a large bowl mix 2 1 / 2 cups of flour with 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp sugar
  5. 5add enough lukewarm water to the mixture to form a stiff dough
  6. 6knead the mixture for 5 minutes until it forms a smooth dough
  7. 7pull the dough apart into golf ball size balls , around 12-15
  8. 8pour 1 tablespoon of oil onto a large pizza pan
  9. 9lightly roll each ball in the oil then place back into the bowl
  10. 10one to form the m'semmen & one to cook it
  11. 11person 1: make sure your hands & the pizza pan are well oiled
  12. 12take one ball & gently spread it out with your oiled finger
  13. 13person 2: drizzle a small amount of oil in a large frying pan with your finger
  14. 14heat the pan over medium heat until it gets hot
  15. 15lay one sheet of m'semmen in the pan & cook on each side until it has golden spots
  16. 16repeat the previous 2 steps until each ball has been cooked
  17. 17place the m'semmen on a plate to be used later
  18. 18in a 8 or 10 quart pressure cooker place 4 cups of water , onion strips , parsley , spices , oil , & chicken