How To Make Aleesa

Ingredients

• 3 star anise
• 3 green cardamom pods – smashed
• 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon
• 5 cloves
• 1 cup bulgur – soaked in water for 2 hours
• 350g chicken leg – skinned
• sliced almonds or cashews to garnish (optional)
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 50g shallots – thingly sliced
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Steps

1. Tie the star anise, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon in a clean cloth. Place the tied spices in a large pot with the soaked bulgur and the chicken leg. Cover with water and cover the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes until the chicken is falling off the bone and the bulgur is nice and soft.
2. Meanwhile, toast the almonds or cashews in the ghee until lightly browned and then transfer the nuts to a bowl to use as a garnish. This is optional.
3. In the same ghee, sauté the shallots until lightly browned and add the turmeric. Stir well to combine.
4. You can remove some of the chopped shallots to lose as a garnish as well.
5. Remove all the meat from the chicken bone and place it with the cooked bulgur in the pan with the browned shallots.
6. Cover with water and simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes until the chicken and bulgur are like much. The finished dish should have the texture of cooked oatmeal. You can use a potato masher to mash it all up really well.
7. Season with salt to taste and garnish with browned nuts and shallots if you like.