Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (quartered, thoroughly washed, drained)

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 onions (quartered)

1 tsp crushed garlic

Juice of one lemon

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 ripe tomato (grated)

Salt + pepper + 7 spices + dried thyme + 1 cinnamon stick + 4 bay leaves 

30 gm butter + 2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Heat a wide deep skillet on high.  Add butter and oil to heat.  Stir in cinnamon stick and bay leaves.  Place chicken quarters; skin side down, to brown.  Turn chicken when golden brown, on other side.  Make space in the middle of skillet and add chopped onion.  Stir until slightly golden.  Stir in garlic and seasoning, until fragrant.  Add grated tomato.  Cover, lower heat to low.  Allow to Simmer and release its juices.  When slightly dried; add lemon juice and a small amount of hot water with bouillon cube.  Continue simmering.  Add quartered onion.  Repeat process until chicken is done and contains a good amount of sauce; not too watery and of medium thickness.  Stir in pomegranate molasses, for the final five minutes, then remove away from heat.  Serve hot with fluffed rice aside.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 25 August, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.