Dry Mulukhiyah (Mulukhiyya)

Ingredients

• 200 g (about 7 oz) dried mulukhiyah leaves
• 1 kg bone-in chicken breast
• 4 heads (bulbs) garlic, coarsely crushed
• A few whole garlic cloves
• A large bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 6 small onions
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon dried coriander
• Salt, to taste
• Hot chilies, to taste
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• Water, as needed
• Chicken poaching broth
• Get Salam’s delicious Pistachio Stew recipe

Method

1. Clean the mulukhiyah leaves well, removing stems and any yellow leaves. Soak them in cold water for about 15 minutes to soften the leaves and let dirt settle.
   Timers: 15 min
2. Lift the leaves into a colander, discard the dirty water, then return the leaves to the pot and pour boiling water over them for 10 minutes. Remove the leaves and drain.
   Timers: 10 min
3. Rinse the leaves several times in cold water, continuing until the rinsing water is completely clear.
4. Squeeze the mulukhiyah leaves well to remove excess water and place them in a sieve, spreading them out so they are separated.
5. Wash the chicken thoroughly with water, vinegar and lemon, then place it in a pot. Add water, lemon pieces, a bay leaf, a chopped onion and salt, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Strain the broth and cut the chicken into medium or small pieces.
7. In another pot, heat part of the oil and lightly fry the mulukhiyah leaves over low heat, stirring for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
   Timers: 15 min
8. Wrap the small onions in aluminum foil and char them over the gas flame for about 2 minutes.
   Timers: 2 min
9. Add the remaining oil to the same pot and sauté the whole garlic cloves and the crushed garlic until they soften slightly. Add the roasted peeled onions and stir, then add the chopped cilantro, dried coriander and hot chilies. Add the mulukhiyah leaves and stir to combine.
10. After a short while, pour the chicken broth over the mixture and add additional water as needed (the total volume of broth plus water should be about 2 liters). Season with salt.
11. Once it reaches a boil, cover the pot and simmer the dry mulukhiyah on low heat for about 1 hour or until fully cooked. Add more boiling water if necessary.
    Timers: 60 min
12. Finally, pour the lemon juice over the mulukhiyah and mix well.
13. Serve the mulukhiyah with rice cooked with vermicelli.