Black Lemon Chicken

Black lemon is something that I definitely wasn't familiar with before I came to Israel. And even in Israel a lot of people have no idea what it is. The name is actually misleading, since the black lemon is actually not a lemon at all, but a dried lime. They are being made from boiling fresh limes and then leaving them to dry in the sun. In the process they turn black.

Some people might argue that the black color is unappealing, but I disagree. If you get to see them and smell them in real life, you will know why I can't live without them anymore. They have a very unique flavour. Of course they have a taste of lime, but they also taste sweet and flowery. They have a lovely smell and are perfect for Middle East cooking. I found out about them through my boyfriend’s Persian grandmother who often use them in her cooking. It's a commonly used spice in Persian cooking.

Here is a recipe for a quick chicken dish that I make. It's what my dad would call plane crash mishmash – that you take what you find at home, and throw it into a pan. And lucky me, it turned out just great!

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, divided into pieces
3-4 carrots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 black Persian lemons, divided into halves
1/2 tbs paprika powder
1/2 tbs coriander seeds
1 tsp tumeric
1 tbs concentrated chicken stock
A handful of chopped mint leaves
1 1/2-2 cups of orange juice
Salt & pepper

1. Heat the oven to 200°C.

2. Mix all the ingredients in a ovenproof tin. Make sure that the chicken is completely covered with juice. If not add some water.

3. Place in oven and cook for about 2 hours. After approx. an hour in the oven the chicken might need to be covered with foil in order not to get burned.

4. Serve immediately with couscous (or why not Persian rice) and something green.
 
Enjoy!

© 2012 Jill Schweber and Channa Waje, all rights reserve