Chicken and rice hedgehog nuggets in a pea, carrot and butternut squash sauce
Ingredients for 20 to 25 nuggets:
400 grams ground chicken thigh or breast.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1 carrot, peeled.
1/2 cup breadcrumbs.
1/3 bunch parsley leaves (optional).
1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
1 large egg.
3/4 teaspoon salt.
2 cups jasmine or basmati rice.
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil.
2 white or purple onions, peeled.
2 celery stalks.
8 garlic cloves, peeled.
1 teaspoon baharat (Middle Eastern spice blend).
3/4 teaspoon turmeric.
1 teaspoon salt.
1 butternut squash, peeled (or 2 peeled carrots).
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
1/3 bag of frozen peas and carrots (not canned).
Instructions:
1. Finely grate the carrot and finely chop the parsley and celery.
2. In a medium bowl, mix all the chicken nugget ingredients except for the rice. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the sauce is ready.
3. Dice the onions or cut them into strips or quarters. Cut the butternut squash into 3 cm cubes.
4. In a wide pot (28 cm [11 inches] diameter or larger), heat olive oil and sauté the onions, celery, garlic, and butternut squash cubes together for 10-15 minutes.
5. Add baharat, turmeric, salt, and black pepper, and sauté for another 5 minutes.
6. Add the frozen peas and carrots and water up to about 8 cm (3 inches) high (the water should reach 3/4 the height of the chicken nuggets).
7. Cook the sauce for 20 minutes while preparing the chicken nuggets.
8. Soak the rice in a bowl with plenty of water until the sauce is ready (20-30 minutes). Drain the rice well and transfer it to a bowl.
9. Take the chicken mixture out of the refrigerator, shape it into nuggets about 6 cm (2 inches) in size and roll the chicken nuggets in the rice so it coats them from all sides.
10. Place the chicken and rice nuggets in the pot with the sauce and gently shake the pot. It's important that the sauce reaches 3/4 the height of the nuggets. Add more water if needed.
11. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 50 minutes or until the rice is soft. It's recommended to taste and adjust the seasoning as per your preference. You will likely need a little more salt.