Check out this exclusive recipe from Dina Macki's Omani cookbook Bahari!

120g (generous ½ cup) white basmati rice
3 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 500ml (generous 2 cups) for deep-frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 fresh tomatoes, finely diced
3 dried limes 600g(1lb 5oz)
boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6–7 pieces)
salt, to taste small
handful of sage leaves (about 16 leaves),finely chopped

For coating the balls
2 large eggs 100g (generous ¾ cup)
plain (all-purpose) flour 150g (5½oz) breadcrumbs

For the aioli
1 large egg
200ml (scant 1 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
50g (1¾oz) coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
sea salt flakes, to taste
juice of 1 lime

Method

• Rinse the rice well under running water, then tip into a bowl. Pour over enough water to cover and leave to soak for at least 20 minutes or while the chicken is cooking.
• Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the onion and fry for around 10 minutes until beginning to brown. Stir in the garlic, along with the spices and tomatoes, and fry for 2 minutes more.
• Break the shells of the dried limes and remove the inside skin, discarding the seeds. Roughly tear the dried lime skins then add to the saucepan, along with the chicken pieces and 1 litre (4⅓ cups) of water. Season with salt, then cover with a lid and leave to boil for 45 minutes on a medium– high heat until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. Reduce the heat to low and, one piece at a time, remove the chicken pieces and shred into long, thin strands using two forks – the meat should fall apart. Once shredded, return the chicken to the saucepan.
• Drain the rice and add it to the saucepan. Stir well, then add 500ml (generous 2 cups) of water. Increase the heat to medium, then cover and leave to cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and stir, then add the sage leaves and leave to simmer, uncovered, for another 25–30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to stop it from sticking. You want the water to be fully absorbed, the rice to have broken down and the mixture to have come together like a thick porridge.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely, then place in the fridge for at least 15–20 minutes to chill and become firmer – this will make it easier to shape it into balls.
• Meanwhile, make the aioli. In a bowl, combine the egg, half the oil, the garlic and the coriander. Season with salt to taste, then blend with a hand-held blender until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Add the remaining oil and lime juice, and continue to blend until combined. Place in a jar and leave to chill in the fridge until needed. (If you don’t have a blender, you can do this by hand, but it will take longer and you will need to add the oil gradually.)
• When you’re ready to cook, use clean hands to shape the rice mixture into 15 balls, each one slightly bigger than a golf ball.
• To coat the balls, whisk the eggs in a bowl, then scatter the flour and the breadcrumbs on to separate plates.
• Roll each ball in the flour, then the eggs, then the breadcrumbs, making sure each one is well coated.
• Heat the oil for shallow-frying in a large frying pan over a high heat. The oil should be deep enough to come about a quarter of the way up the balls when you add them. To check if the oil is hot enough, add the first ball – it should begin to sizzle straight away. If so, add the remaining balls and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until they are a deep golden colour. Once they are cooked, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper (paper towels) to soak up the excess oil.
• Serve hot with the aioli for dipping.

Bahari