Halal-conscious recipe
Lebanese poussin with spiced aubergine pilaf
Sara Buenfeld's Lebanese poussin for two: Halal poussins roasted with allspice and pomegranate molasses beside aubergine, with a pine nut, currant and herb pilaf cooked in Halal chicken stock.
Each method follows published technique for the dish, and every Halal substitution is checked against the ingredient pages we cite. Photographs come from our ingredient library rather than the finished dish.
Why Halal checks matter here
The dish is 2 small poussins, which are Halal only from Halal-slaughtered birds, and the pilaf is cooked in 200 ml of chicken stock, which is a chicken product.
Two small poussins, young chickens, are seasoned with allspice and roasted beside diced aubergine, then glazed with pomegranate molasses for the last ten minutes. Alongside, a quick pilaf of basmati, pine nuts, currants, cinnamon, cloves, tomato, mint and dill cooks in stock, and the roast aubergine is tossed through it at the end. Two things need a Halal source: the poussins, and the 200 ml of chicken stock, for which a Halal-certified stock or a vegetable stock works (see stock cubes).
It follows Sara Buenfeld's Lebanese poussin with spiced aubergine pilaf for BBC Good Food, which serves two. Start the pilaf about ten minutes after the birds go in, so both are ready together.
Serve the poussins whole or carved on top of the pilaf, with a sprinkle of sumac if you like.
Halal-critical ingredients
- Poussins A poussin is a young chicken, a Halal bird, but slaughter decides, and poultry without a Halal mark doesn't say how the bird was slaughtered. Buy the poussins from a Halal butcher or in a certified pack. See Chicken.
- Chicken stock Bought chicken stock is a chicken product, and the UK's mainstream stock cubes contain uncertified chicken or meat fat. Use a Halal-certified chicken stock or a vegan vegetable stock. See Stock cubes.
Safe substitutes
- Poussins of unknown slaughter → Halal poussins
- 200 ml chicken stock → 200 ml Halal-certified chicken stock or vegetable stock
Allergens
pine nuts, gluten (in some stock; the source suggests a gluten-free one if needed)
Ingredients
Poussins and aubergine
- 1 aubergine, roughly diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
- 2 Halal small poussins
- 2 good pinches allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Pilaf
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 100 g basmati rice
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- good pinch ground cloves
- 200 ml hot Halal-certified chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp currants
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped mint, plus leaves to serve
- 1 tbsp chopped dill, plus leaves to serve
- optional sumac, to sprinkle (optional)
Method
- Roast the poussins. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 4). Toss the aubergine in 1 tbsp oil, tip it into a large roasting tin and push it to the sides to make room for the poussins. Rub a little oil on the birds, sprinkle with the pinches of allspice, salt and plenty of black pepper, put a bay leaf inside each and roast for 35 minutes. Start the pilaf about 10 minutes in so everything is ready together.
- Start the pilaf. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium pan and fry the onion for 5 to 8 minutes until golden. Stir in the rice and pine nuts for about 1 minute, then the ¼ tsp allspice, the cinnamon and cloves. Pour in the stock, stir in the currants, cover and cook for 7 minutes.
- Finish the pilaf. Uncover, add the tomato, mint and dill, cover again and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender. Keep warm, covered.
- Glaze the poussins. When the poussins have had 35 minutes, drizzle the pomegranate molasses over them and roast for 10 minutes more, until they and the aubergine are tender.
- Serve. Rest the poussins for a few minutes while you toss the aubergine into the pilaf. Serve the birds whole or portioned on top of the pilaf, scattered with dill and mint leaves and a little sumac if you like.
How this recipe was researched
Method adapted from BBC Good Food's 'Lebanese poussin with spiced aubergine pilaf' by Sara Buenfeld, which describes it as a Middle Eastern-style meal (serves 2: oven at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 4); a roughly diced aubergine tossed in 1 tbsp olive oil and pushed to the sides of a large roasting tin; 2 small poussins rubbed with oil, sprinkled with 2 good pinches of allspice, salt and black pepper, a bay leaf inside each, roasted 35 minutes; the pilaf started about 10 minutes in: a thinly sliced onion fried 5 to 8 minutes in 1 tbsp oil, 100 g basmati and 2 tbsp pine nuts stirred 1 minute, ¼ tsp allspice, ½ tsp cinnamon and a good pinch of cloves, 200 ml hot chicken stock and 2 tbsp currants, covered 7 minutes; a large chopped tomato, 1 tbsp each chopped mint and dill added, covered 2 to 3 minutes more; the poussins drizzled with 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses and roasted 10 minutes more; the aubergine tossed into the pilaf, the poussins served whole or portioned on top with mint, dill and optional sumac). We specified Halal poussins and a Halal-certified chicken stock or a vegetable stock; nothing else needed changing. Timings follow the published technique rather than a kitchen test.
Technique and ingredient sources
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Lebanese poussin with spiced aubergine pilaf — BBC Good Food
Retrieved:
By Sara Buenfeld, described as a Middle Eastern-style meal. Serves 2, prep 15 minutes, cook 45 minutes: allspice poussins roasted 35 minutes beside aubergine, glazed with pomegranate molasses and roasted 10 minutes more; a pilaf of onion, basmati, pine nuts, spices, stock, currants, tomato and herbs. We specified Halal poussins and stock.
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Chicken analysis — isithalal.food
Retrieved:
What makes chicken Halal: the slaughter.