Make deep slits across the chicken. Marinate it with all the spices. Cover and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. This is important.
Preheat oven to 240 °. Heat a barbecue or chargrill pan to medium high and grill it for about 8 to 10 minutes until a bit charred turning it over every now and then. Baste it with oil before doing it.
Transfer it to a lined baking tray and roast it until done.
Heat butter in a non stick pot. Add in the onions and the garlic. Saute them until just light pink.
After 10 mins, add the tomato puree and all the spices one by one. Add all the whole spices too which are called baharat. They can be powdered to make the baharat spice powder and stored for later use. Add in the chicken stock and if you are short of it, then add 2 cubes of chicken seasoning (maggi) cubes to four cups of water.
Cover and simmer until 20 mins on medium flame. Fluff gently after done and garnish with grated carrots, raisins and nuts. Place the rotisserie chicken on top and serve hot with special sauce called salata hara, raw onion rings, cucumbers, lemon wedges etc.
Shawaya chicken is a popular Middle Eastern rice made on all important occasions as well as on a daily basis. The Arabs just relish it with much zeal and enthusiasm almost everyday. It is much similar to Arabic Kabsah in terms of it's rice preparation but the rice used in this is calrose variety. It makes all the difference plus the chicken too. But in Kabsah, the chicken is barbecued or roasted in an oven or charcoal grill giving it a charred effect and look. Chicken Shawaya Rice is a bit different in looks and taste as well due to the rotisserie chicken and the calrose rice variety. Happy Middle Eastern Cooking Folks!
