Syrian chicken with bulgur wheat (burghul bl jaj)

Step 1

Toss the chicken thighs with the vinegar and rock salt in a bowl, then remove and pat dry with kitchen paper

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds. Once sizzling, add the cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves. Stir for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden.

Step 3

Add the tomatoes, mixed spice and 1 tsp of salt. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.

Step 4

Add the chicken and cook for 35 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through, stirring every once in a while.

Step 5

Scoop the chicken thighs onto a non-stick tray. Add the raisins and bulgur wheat to the pan. The mixture should just cover the bulgur – if it doesn’t, add enough just-boiled water to do so. Bubble on a low heat for 15-20 minutes until the bulgur is tender.

Step 6

Meanwhile, grill the chicken under a medium heat for 10 minutes until the skin is golden.

Step 7

To serve, spoon the bulgur wheat onto a serving plate, top with the chicken, parsley, pomegranate seeds and sumac, if you like.